The Everett Interpretation
by John Creel
Summary: Post TLG. Second part of the "From Hades" duology: Time heals all wounds, or so they say. A year has passed since the war, and everything has settled back into a sense of normalcy. But nothing lasts forever, especially peace. As an unprecedented foe pulls the strings, the entire world will be thrown into a chaos that only Artemis can save it from. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Prologue

**Unknown Location**

A single light cast a feeble ray over the otherwise dark room, just barely illuminating the surfaces within, and doing nothing to stave off the creeping shadows that dominated the hidden recesses of the chamber. Bookshelves lined the walls, loaded with esoteric volumes and unnamed binders that could contain just about anything. In the exact center of the room, almost imperceptible in the fragile half-light, was an Edwardian desk, hand carved out of mahogany, and inlaid with artful decoration. Even more elusive to the eye was the figure sitting at it, hunched over in contemplation. He was dressed in the darkest of suits, matching with absolute precision the sable shade of his hair. With his hands folded on the desk's green leather writing surface, and his head tilted down in intense thought, he said not a word, rendering the room so silent that it could have been in the vacuum of space. Before him was a laptop, its top closed and its battery light pulsing gently, and to his right was a cup of steaming drink, the heat rising from its black surface to form an ethereal trail that faded seamlessly into the darkness. The figure sat there for the longest time, so still that the only movement was that of the steam swirling above the hot beverage.

"So, I have finally come to this point," he said suddenly, with a voice that was both calculative and composed. There was no real emotion in it, as if such feeling was an inconvenience. "I am now at an impasse. With everything already in place, and the necessary actions waiting on a single word, all it takes is the will of a single man to put it all into motion. And just like the butterfly effect, that single word, minute in its utterance, will bring forth changes that will shake the fabric of time itself."

The small light shone behind his head, leaving his visage immersed in shadow as he paused.

"It is logical to deduce," he began again, "that but one question remains. And that question already has an answer." He paused again, sitting up a little in order to improve his posture. "Am I prepared to do what must be done? Am I ready to put into motion the irreversible series of events that will spell the end of this world, but mean the betterment of another? After a year of thought, a year of careful orchestration, I have steeled myself for this, and now I am at the decisive moment. Will I go through with my deepest intentions, or will the feeble voice of morality pull me back? No, there is no room for morality. Indeed, morality has no place here, not when time is fleeting, and opportunity is brief."

He unfolded his hands, and took a sip of the hot drink, which had been steeped to perfection. Letting the warmth of the hot tea seep through him, he set the cup down.

"The consequences I have considered, and though they may be terrible for many, such is unavoidable; such is the nature of this endeavor. Not that their well-being concerns me, not when I do not belong here. This place is not my home, nor am I its guest. Unfortunately, they have become but a means to an end, a disposable catalyst in a reaction which brings forth something that only I desire and only I have use for. And so," he stood up, the chair creaking slightly as his weight was removed from it, "I am at that same place Julius Caesar stood so many years ago, where a single decision, regardless of which way it went, would bring irrevocable changes. And just as he held the lives of his army in his hands, so do I hold billions in mine. Such responsibility is beyond any man, but just as Caesar could not possibly go back, so is my die cast, and so I must." There was a crushing silence as he paused one more time, his hidden eyes looking into another place. "The metaphorical Rubicon waits to be crossed. In fact, I've already done so, and from that there is no return."

**Lower Elements Police Headquarters, Haven**

"You've got to be kidding me."

Holly Short stood in her office, her right eye slightly twitching as she beheld one of the most dreaded realities—no, _the_ most dreaded reality—of police work: paperwork. It dominated the desk that had once been bereft of anything except for her name placard, the stack of documents—which were actually artificial and not in the slightest a product of deforestation—taking up every inch of space. What was more insulting was the fact that the LEP had long since ceased using physical documentation, replacing it with digitized forms that could be filled out on datapads. For Holly Short, such digitization made the tedious work easy to ignore, and she had been doing so intentionally for the better part of six months. But that had ended about as well as expected, because out-of-sight didn't translate into a magical exoneration from mundane tasks. On the contrary, it would seem that the administration had realized her blatant disregard for protocol, and, without any notice, decided to actually print it all off and dump it in her office. They'd even done her the courtesy of providing a whole box of pens, with a little note indicating that they were to be returned to the office of internal affairs when she was done with them. That made her roll her eyes. The day was a nightmare, and it wasn't even lunchtime.

"Someone's going to pay for this," Holly said under her breath as she sat down in the desk's rigid office chair. "I have a secretary for a reason!"

She eyed the writing utensils, and then the first sheet of paper—an officer misconduct report with her name on it. Despite her annoyance she begot a slight grin when she saw the name of the filer of the complaint. _Saw that one coming from a mile away. _Apparently she had offended a certain "Corporal Lili Frond" by calling her a "Bimbo" and an "Incompetent airhead" after the Corporal had failed every single live firing exercise in the Retrieval Team qualification trials._ She also forgot which way to point the damn gun. _Holly promptly crumpled the report into a tiny ball and tossed it into the recycling bin on the other side of the room. If that pampered elf couldn't handle a little dose of the truth once and a while she most certainly didn't deserve to wear a uniform, let alone the highly revered crest of an LEP retrieval team.

Holly sat still for a long moment, wondering whether or not to draw her sidearm and vaporize every last piece of paper in sight. She eventually decided against it, not because she didn't want to, but because she didn't want to ruin her office. Instead, she actually applied herself to the paperwork, starting with a cluster of division reports. She was only halfway through her second page when she accidentally broke her pen in half, spilling ink all over the papers set out before her, making them akin to Rorschach tests.

"Alright, that's enough of that!" she growled, removing herself from her seat.

The elf turned around to face the window, which was partially covered by virtual blinds. She switched them off, letting Haven's artificial sunlight spill into the office.

_At least I've got a view._

The bustling fairy metropolis stretched out before her, its lively sounds muted by the glass, but its vibrancy no less apparent. It had been a little over a year since the events surrounding Opal Koboi's return, since the war that had utterly destroyed so much of the People's proud civilization. The view she had now had been a lot different thirteen months ago, in fact there hadn't even been a window to look out of, but instead a massive hole in the wall. No corner of the city had been spared, and even months after its end the place had still looked like a shooting gallery.

_But so much has changed since then. _Holly thought as she proudly observed the world before her. Indeed, it was a sight to behold, not only due to its rejuvenated appearance, but the underlying truth it told as well. The People were remarkably resilient, so much so that the cataclysmic events of the war had only further ignited their fiery perseverance. They had fought tooth and nail against the most terrible enemy they had ever faced, almost to the point of annihilation, and still came out strong. The city before her now was a testament to such strength, such courage, and such an unbreakable will to survive. It made her smile, letting her forget the administrative atrocity behind her.

Holly let the rays of artificial sunlight wash over her for a little longer, inwardly imagining being on the surface once more, free to experience the world and all of its beauty, and free to go wild with a set of wings without having to care about regulations. She could see trees flashing by as she pushed her gear to its limits, the land beneath her an obstacle course for her enjoyment. She could hear the birds chirping with confusion as she flew along beside them, the wondrous sensation of flight ripping through her body. And she could envision, with the utmost clarity, the sun rising over the rolling hills of Ireland, the sea in the distance reflecting its brilliant light. It was a short moment of yearning, one that did little to free her from her current circumstance, but it felt good.

Giving the cityscape one final look, she went to turn around, but stopped abruptly when the light glinted off of the golden acorns that adorned her uniform. She had been a major for over a year now and yet she still hadn't gotten used to it. She had refused such a promotion on so many occasions, wary that it would only hold her back, its responsibilities taking away the freedom of being a recon officer. But such worries had been assuaged this time around, her heroics during the war literally giving her immunity. After that campaign there was no way she could keep a promotion from hitting her, so she did one of the things she did best—she made them swear on their lives that they wouldn't take away her operational freedoms. Naturally they accepted, and so in the end she remained in the recon division, and gained even more powers within that role. She also got her own office, as did all of the higher-ups, plus a secretary to handle _most _of her paperwork. Overall it was a satisfactory change. Besides, being a Major had its perks, including the ability to acquire surface visas like carrot juice.

However, despite all of this she couldn't shake the feeling, a pit in her chest as she looked at the golden representation of her rank. Deep down she knew what it was. It was a bittersweet reminiscence about a certain person in her life, one who had long since passed on. _Julius. _The name struck an eternal chord within her heart, making her sit down in thought. She had made peace with his loss long ago, but it would always be with her, and becoming a Major only enhanced it. It was the creeping knowledge that one day, if she kept this up, she would be in the same shoes Julius had been in, as Commander in Chief of the LEP. It made her uneasy, uncertain even, because she could never imagine living up to the elf she had admired so much. Becoming CINCLEP just didn't sit right with her.

_He would be proud if you did. _A voice spoke within her head. It aroused a different feeling in her, and as she sat in her chair, watching as the light danced off of the acorns on her lapel, she smiled. No, Julius was already proud of her, he'd said that a long time ago. That was all she needed.

Holly went back to eying the paperwork on her desk, but her mind was elsewhere. She wondered about many things, anything but the documents before her, but her mind quickly settled on a certain mud boy. _I wonder what Artemis is doing. It must be more exciting than this. _It got her remembering their adventures over the last year, which had been nothing too excessive, just the usual collaboration that was necessary to catch rogue fairies. But that was more than enough for her, for really it was being around Artemis that made it all worthwhile. They had been through so much together, their lives so intertwined that she could not imagine it being otherwise. Holly tapped her fingers absentmindedly on the desk as she thought of the boy, noting how it had been a few weeks since she had last seen him. She would have to drop by Fowl Manor once she got this paperwork done—she would most certainly need the vacation, and Artemis most certainly needed someone to bug him.

The elf was just about to make another attempt at the paperwork when her communicator beeped, followed by the familiar voice of Haven's friendly neighborhood technomaniac.

_"Holly, are you there?"_ Foaly said, his speech a little rushed. _"I'm not interrupting anything am I?"_

Holly grinned ear-to-ear, tossing her pen aside. "Nope, nothing at all."

"_They finally dropped the paperwork on you, didn't they?" _the centaur replied, as perceptive as ever. _"Then you'll be glad to hear that there's a little shindig going on, and Trouble needs you present in the ops booth as soon as possible."_

"Music to my ears. Tell him I'll be there in a minute."

"_Will do."_

Holly put down the communicator, wondering exactly what had happened. Only a visit to the command center would tell, but there was one thing that she knew for sure: if there was a need to call her in, there had to be something big afoot. Holly wasted no time removing herself from the uncomfortable office chair, and in no time she was out the door. Emerging into the hallway she passed her secretary's booth, where the poor elf was typing furiously, no doubt up to her ears in the rest of Holly's paperwork. "Sorry," Holly said honestly as she passed by the booth, exceptionally grateful.

She progressed into the busy halls of the Police Plaza, her strides long and her gait confident. Fellow officers made way for her, some staring, others greeting her warmly. Some even looked a little faint, particularly Corporal Chix Verbil, who was ridiculously obsessed with not only her, but every woman on the planet. Even still, there were others who eyed her with envy, or even hardline jealously. But regardless of their reactions, everyone held her in the utmost respect. After all, she was one of the few female Majors in LEP history, and a legend to boot.

Holly flashed her credentials when she reached the command room door—not that she needed to—and was ushered in. The room was filled with activity, which was perfectly normal, and no one so much as glanced at her as she made her way towards the ops booth, where Trouble and Foaly were no doubt waiting. She was about to tap on the door when it flashed open, revealing a small room filled with monitors and untold amounts of tax dollars. Foaly had a new ops booth, and needless to say it made the UK's GCHQ look like an ipod.

"Major Short, glad you could make it," Commander Trouble Kelp greeted as she entered, his voice rough and authoritative. However, when the door closed, his rigid composure evaporated, replaced by a friendly smile. "It's good to see you Holly."

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Holly said, returning the smile. "I'm glad you've managed to retain some of yourself over that time. That first greeting reminded me of someone."

A look flashed over Trouble's face, but it was gone just as fast. "I'm not sporting any fungus cigars, and my complexion is quite bereft of hot colors."

Holly grinned as she passed him. "Not yet." Inwardly she was quite happy for him. Indeed, since he had become CINCLEP he had developed some familiar traits, but that was just part of the job. What mattered most was that he was an excellent commander, and an even greater friend.

"Anyway, enough of this," Trouble said gruffly, snapping back into a professional persona. "There are some very pertinent matters to attend to. Foaly, if you'd please."

"Already on it." The centaur had been sitting in silence the entire time, observing several monitors as he sat in his custom swivel chair. Such silence was rare, as it would usually be filled with technomaniacle gloating, meaning that he was either saving up for a particularly long-winded rant about how clever he was, or that something very serious had taken place. The concentrated look on his face indicated that it was the latter.

Holly looked over his shoulder to observe the screens, but what caught her eye more than anything were the dozens of pictures stuck on the wall to his left, pictures of his wife, Cabaline, and, more recently, their newborn daughter. Her name was Elaine, and Foaly was incredibly proud, so much so that he wouldn't stop bringing in new photos to show off to everyone, ranting about how lucky a centaur he was. It was wonderful thing, seeing him so happy. The only question that remained was whether his _quirks_ were hereditary; if so, there would soon be two unstoppable technomaniacs in Haven, and one was troublesome enough for the LEP's budget. Two would be an economic bombshell.

"Isn't she precious?" Foaly whispered to the elf, having noticed her look. He grinned widely, but when Trouble cleared his throat he quickly went back to his work. "As you both know," the centaur began, "There was a considerable number of escaped convicts resulting from the upheaval Opal caused. Many have been captured, much to your credit, Holly, and Artemis' as well course. However, there are others who still manage to elude us, especially this bunch." He brought up a series of criminal profiles, all of which were dwarfs, and spread them across the monitor so that each mug shot could be seen. Holly recognized one of the faces immediately.

"Sergei the _Significant_," she said with annoyance. "The leader of a gang of six dwarfs that used to carry out high-profile robberies above ground, using a circus as a front for their stolen jewelry. Artemis, Mulch and I were involved with taking them out back before the Goblin Uprising, all over some silly Fei Fei tiara."

"Indeed," Trouble replied, now at her elbow. "Though at the time you and that boy were not the best of friends, you managed to facilitate their arrest. They were subsequently imprisoned in Haven, where they stayed for years before the war enabled them to escape. They have been missing ever since."

"But you've found them now, haven't you?"

Foaly made a peculiar expression. "Not necessarily. It would be a lie to say that we, meaning the LEP, located them. Unlike goblins, dwarfs are extremely crafty, and types such as Sergei take it to a whole new level. For us to find them while they are laying low would be like trying to hear a sweartoad in a B'wa Kell bar on a Friday."

Holly knew where this was going. "So you contracted some _expert_ assistance."

A sour look came over Foaly's face. "Mulch Diggums."

Trouble nodded, a little bit of indignation in his eyes. "There has been increasing pressure from the council to track down this particular group, mainly because of their history of interacting with humans, which is a recipe for disaster. Given how well they evaded our operatives, we figured it would be best to employ someone who thought like them."

"And smelled like them," Foaly added.

Holly nodded. It all made sense of course, and the fact that Mulch was involved was completely ordinary. In order to catch a dwarf, you needed to think like one. And when it came to that there was no better candidate than the kleptomaniac legend who had been pushing the LEP's buttons for centuries. Mulch had been given a clean record for his efforts in the war, and had launched his own reality television show to boot. Needless to say, he had been far too busy gracing the screen to break any laws, or at least that was what most thought. Holly knew better.

"So, how on earth did you convince him to do the job? Surely the council wouldn't agree to hand over some of our gold reserves, especially to Mulch. They'd sooner give up their pensions."

Trouble shook his head. "No charge, but I suspect he has something to gain, given that these are dwarfs he is going after. Quid pro quo he gives us their location, and in return he steals everything he can get his hands on."

Holly couldn't help but grin. "That's Mulch alright, though I'm surprised he didn't demand a statue made in the likeness of his image. Or perhaps a few streets named after him."

"Don't mention that around him, we don't need him getting any ideas!" Foaly said anxiously.

"It doesn't matter now," Trouble interjected, motioning to the screen, "Because the operation has taken an unexpected turn for the worse. Mulch managed to track them down, but in the process he was compromised. I don't know how it happened, but he got himself caught. All of the bugs we had planted on him were fried during his capture, so we don't know his current status."

Mulch getting into trouble was a common occurrence, but it was rare that he ever got into _real_ trouble. Sergei and his subordinates despised him for what he did, for posing as one of their own and ruining their operation. They would certainly want to take their revenge, meaning that Mulch was in a real and present danger of being brutally murdered. This worried Holly a lot, because unlike most LEP personnel she actually liked Mulch. She had worked alongside him in the private eye business for quite a while, and the dwarf had always played a part in their adventures, particularly the events surrounding Opal's return. Had it not been for Mulch, they may well have not made it at all. _He may be a pain in the rear, but he's also one hell of a compatriot. _Holly glared at the screen now, her previous mood replaced by a serious focus.

"Where is he?"

"In the Pamir Mountains, Tajikistan," Foaly said immediately. "Sergei has been busy over the last year. According to our intel from Mulch, his gang has been running a major drug operation. Bordering on Afghanistan, the largest producer of illicit opium in the world, they have managed to build a small but no less dangerous drug empire, acquiring opium through fronts connected with crime syndicates in Afghanistan, and using stolen fairy biotechnology to process it into opiates of such quality that there is no competition. The product is a sellout, and Sergei makes a point to make transactions in gold. Hence, he and his colleagues are manufacturing and distributing narcotics in exchange for huge amounts of wealth. It's a slam dunk without morals, just like Wall Street. Quite a jolly bunch."

Holly mulled it over. With an operation as profitable as this there was no room for error. Sergei had a lot to lose, and loose ends were a liability where Mulch was concerned. She turned to Trouble. "I assume a conventional response is not wise, but we need to act now!"

The commander shook his head. "Dropping a retrieval team on them is risky. They have Mulch as a potential hostage. If push comes to shove, they will kill him without hesitation." He paused. "Mulch doesn't elicit many warm feelings within me. If anything he makes me nauseous due to his lack of respect for the law. However, as commander I am responsible for what happens to him, and he also did a lot for us a year ago and in previous troubles. I can't let him die."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"That's why you're here."

Holly knew that much already, but it never hurt to ask. A rescue operation would indeed be risky, especially in such an extreme environment, but that only made it even more appealing. Living on the edge was her raison d'être, and new challenges were always welcome. Nevertheless, she couldn't do it alone, not that she intended to. She was dealing with a group of hardcore criminals, killers with untold amounts of wealth and assets. They were likely well armed, experienced, and more than anything, brutal. She would need some company, someone who knew this sort better than anyone, someone who had once been like them. Holly begot a knowing grin. _There's only one person who I would trust with that. _

This was a job for Artemis Fowl.

**Fowl Manor, Ireland**

The spring sunrise washed over the Irish countryside, the cool dew that coated the verdant meadows glistening in its brilliant light like millions of little gems. The morning sky, not afflicted by clouds or the obtrusive creations of man, was an alluring canvas of red, yellow, and orange, the sun burning gloriously beneath it, just cresting the lush hillside. With the warmth of the dawn came the lively song of birds, cheerful and clear from the treetops, free from all worries and doubts. Amidst the awakening world loomed the ancient form of Fowl Manor, a brilliant sight of its own in the morning light, magnificent in its design, and accentuated by the vibrant beauty that surrounded it. Home to the Fowl line for generations, its legacy was as rich as the colors of the sky, and its secrets as boundless as the stars.

Artemis Fowl the Second observed the sunrise with an appreciative eye—as a child he had never looked upon the world as he did now, but now he saw its beauty, and drank it up contently. He was ensconced in his study, sitting in the same comfortable chair he had used for as long as he could remember, cast in thought as he usually was. His laptop's screen glowed gently in front of him, with volumes of notes and research precisely situated upon the old Victorian desk; a wide assortment of knowledge and discovery. It was early morning, but he was wide awake, never one to let such hours slip away without being properly used. After all, time flees.

Taking his eyes from the window and the golden sunrise it viewed, Artemis continued his work, silently noting the date on the bottom-right corner of the screen. It had been a year already. A year! And yet it felt like yesterday, the memories of his past adventures being of such vibrancy that they were as immediate as the morning weather forecast. He smiled slightly as he thought back on it all, reflecting on what had happened since then. Surely time had been fleeting, for even though he was back to what he quantified as a _normal_ life, he was as busy as ever, with each day gone before he knew it. But that was fine, because he was Artemis Fowl, and he accomplished more than enough with each passing hour. His time had been spent doing many things, all of which were beyond the understanding of most professionals. He had given up acquiring doctorates and other such academic credentials, for really they did nothing to improve the world; they were only fancy pieces of paper meant to prove something, and he didn't have to prove anything. He already had a binder full of them. Instead he had occupied himself with changing the world, researching everything from cures for diseases to new discoveries in all fields of academic study. Currently he was working on a viable treatment for Alzheimer's disease, though his work was currently in its preliminary stages. However, he was confident he would find a way. After all, he was a genius.

The glare on the screen, caused by the morning light, made it so that Artemis could see his reflection. The absence of a hazel eye, now gone due to his cloned body, reminded him of an old friend. _Major Holly Short. A day doesn't go by without that name occurring to me. I wonder what she's up to now. No doubt she's avoiding the vexing task of police paperwork, but to what avail? _He grinned. Holly was one of his greatest joys in life, a true friend. She was, and always would be, the best thing that had ever happened to him, for without her he would have never changed; he would have remained the cold child he had once been, a danger not only to himself, but to the world.

Artemis went back to his work, now ignoring his reflection and concentrating on the data before him. A few minutes of utter silence passed, disturbed by no one. His family, meaning his parents and brothers, were currently on a vacation, leaving him and the Butlers to their own devices. Apparently Myles and Beckett had wanted to go to Disneyland. They would certainly raise a little hell, and possibly the U.S. government's defense readiness condition by a few notches. The absence of their noisy adventures was bittersweet, for he loved them very much, but at least it granted him some peace of mind.

The silence wore on for an hour, and then a beeping sound shattered it, eliciting a slight grin from Artemis. He knew that sound, in fact he had been waiting for it for days now. The boy pulled open a drawer, revealing a fairy communicator. Its interface had lit up, flashing to match the sound it was producing. He took it, eying the incoming transmission ID with delight. It was Holly. He wasted no time in answering.

"Major Holly Short, what a pleasant surprise," he said immediately, faking indifference. "I do have a voice mail, perhaps you can leave a message. I am dreadfully preoccupied with a very important piece of research."

"_You're terrible at faking, you know that right?"_ Holly replied.

Artemis smiled. It was good to hear her voice. He looked into the reflection on his screen, noting something in the background. "You know, I would have to say the same thing about your stealth skills. You can unshield now, Major. You're Machiavellian plan to startle me has failed, though I commend your efforts."

There was a shimmering in the air behind him, followed by a wave of heavy distortion as the elf—suited up in full recon gear—materialized into the visible spectrum. She was hovering, her wings completely silent, and was only a few feet from him. With a triumphant grin on his face Artemis turned to look at her. "And here I thought you needed permission to enter my humble abode."

Still hovering at eye level, Holly removed her helmet, revealing her recklessly beautiful face, her slightly mangled auburn hair, and her stunning mismatched eyes.

"Butler let me in," she said, hovering closer to him.

"Oh, I see," Artemis said, still acting aloof. He was about to add something witty onto his utterance when he felt a burning sensation in his left shoulder, followed by his brain's realization that Holly had indeed, for the millionth time, punched him. He instinctively clutched the throbbing shoulder. "Hey! What was that for?"

Holly's expression remained serious. "You ruined a perfectly good prank. Foaly was going to record it, and disseminate it around the office for our collective amusement. He bet an entire crate of carrots that you would scream like a little girl, but now his hopes and dreams are shattered."

"Oh..."

There was a long silence as they stared at each other, both appearing to be incredibly serious. Holly was the first to break, her firm expression trembling before falling apart entirely, becoming one of pure amusement as she burst into laughter. Artemis followed almost immediately, his poker face much less formidable than he had anticipated. They laughed for a full twenty seconds, so hard that their abdominal muscles were burning, and when they were finished they needed a few moments to catch their breath. Naturally, Holly did so faster.

"It's good to see you, Arty," she said friendlily, her smile wide and vivacious.

Artemis, still breathing hard, returned the smile without even knowing. "It's good to see you too. You have no idea how draining all this work can be."

"Oh I do," the elf replied, a sour look crossing her face. "I tried doing paperwork for the first time in months. Procurement's going to need to order more pens." She grinned mischievously, and it made Artemis feel all the more alive.

_It's been far too long._

They talked for a few minutes, Holly powering down her wings and taking a seat in one of the study's many lounge chairs. There was so much catching up to do, even for a few weeks of separation; they both lived lives that moved at break-neck speeds, where even days could contain changes that made a world of difference. Holly filled him in on her latest escapades, while Artemis let her in on the secrets of his current projects. They fascinated each other in their own separate ways, one with genius, and the other with extraordinary tales. Artemis enjoyed the smalltalk immensely, but he knew that there had to be another reason for her showing up—her gear stated the obvious.

"I take it you need my help?" he said finally, but carefully so as to not be blunt. "Or do you always pay friendly visits with enough hardware to fight a small war?"

Holly frowned a little. A more serious look came across her face, though it was not overbearing. "Yes. We have need of your _skills_."

Artemis steepled his fingers, his interest piqued. "Pourquoi?"

Holly filled him in on the matter at hand, not missing a single detail—every detail was another piece that Artemis could use to formulate a plan. When she was done, the prodigy mulled it over in silence.

"Well then, it would seem that our kleptomaniacal friend could use some assistance," he finally said. "Butler, I assume the preparations have been made?"

The study door opened silently, and through it came the massive bodyguard. He was a little older than before, but no less intimidating; he was a Butler, and Butlers never lost their ability to scare people to death. Looming before them like a skyscraper, he nodded. "Juliet is just finishing up packing our ordnance. Holly already briefed me before she came in to see you, so I have already designated the necessary tools." He came up beside them, an excited glimmer in his eyes. "It's been a while since we've gone on a business trip. We're ready when you are, Artemis."

"Excellent, old friend," Artemis said calmly. He looked out the window, where the sun had cleared the green hills, and was now glowing over the lush landscape. It was going to be a beautiful day. "Well then," he began, a vampiric grin slowly growing across his face, "Let's get to work."

**Author's Note:**

**So begins another story (with a generically structured prologue). For the purpose of the next chapter I would like to note that Sergei the Significant is from Colfer's more obscure supplementary work "The Artemis Fowl Files", just in case anyone was wondering who he was. Please review, for I very much enjoy your thoughts.  
**

**John Creel**


	2. Rescue

**Sergei's Hideout – "Meat Locker"**

Mulch was a dwarf, but before even that, he was an opportunist. Given the chance there was no valuable he wouldn't relieve from its owner; no opportunity he wouldn't take if it would elevate his name further into legend. He was, after all, the self-proclaimed "greatest thief in the world", among many other titles, all of them being quite extravagant. However, even the greatest made mistakes, for no one was perfect. Such had not occurred to Mulch in a long time, but now it was painfully obvious.

_You just had to get greedy Mulch. From a nice condo in Haven and your own television show to this. _He thought, a frown on his face. However, he thought about it for another moment, and then grinned. _Never mind, it was totally worth it. I mean, it will be, once I get out of here. _His optimistic grin faded when he eyed the door before him. _Yeah...about that…_

He was sitting in the middle of a near featureless room. The walls, made out of a dense steel alloy, were perfectly smooth, and Mulch could feel with his senses that there were several feet of reinforced concrete beyond. Apart from a blast door, only a fortified metal ventilation grate broke the seamless metal walls, and it was on the roof, a full ten feet above him. Normally this wouldn't have been a problem for Mulch, but his captors knew all about his secrets. They were his kin, after all. This was a prison made by dwarfs, for dwarfs. The kleptomaniac tested the shackles that bound his arms behind his back. They were stolen LEP restraints, so they weren't going to break easily.

"Jeez Sergei, you could have at least given me something to eat. Happy Mulch means happy captors," Mulch said to the door, only to have his words bounce around the room, further reminding him of the fact that he was virtually trapped. He was in quite a mess indeed, and it was all because he had made a deal with the LEP to track Sergei's gang down. A rare collaboration with the law, and he ended up in shackles anyway. It had to be the quasi-legality of it wearing down his purely criminal luck. Yeah, that had to be it. He didn't attribute it to the fact that he had sneaked into a hostile facility, _conveniently_ found its vault, and tried to make off with everything in it. Needless to say, when several of Sergei's subordinates found Mulch trying to haul off several tons of gold, they were upset. Mulch had further exacerbated that mess by letting loose the fruits of his voluminous lunch, blasting the two of them away only to have a dozen more show up with machineguns. Suffice it to say even his gas couldn't turn bullets. That's what led him here.

The dead silence of the cell was shattered by the clicking of the door's mechanism, followed by a groaning sound as it swung outward. Light poured into the room, temporarily blinding Mulch. "Hey, easy on the lights there sparky," he said, shielding his eyes. In spite of this, he still heard the footsteps of several dwarfs as they entered the room.

"Well, well, well, look who finally showed up. When I heard that the legend, Mulch Diggums, was trying to steal my well-earned wealth, I just had to come take a look," one of them said, his voice dripping with both disdain and delight.

Mulch's eyes adjusted, revealing Sergei the Significant, flanked by two armed guards and his second in command, Derph. The leader looked very irritable, so Mulch grinned innocently. "Hey, old buddy old pal, it's been far too long. How are the wife and kids?"

"Shut it before I do it for you, permanently!" Sergei growled, drawing his sidearm—an engraved M1911—and striking Mulch across the face with it. He knelt down immediately, grabbing his captive by the beard and pulling him up. "I don't really mean that thought. I want nothing more than to hear your screams when I kill you, and trust me, I really mean that." He let go, sending Mulch crashing to the cold metal floor.

"Being so rude to your own kin? You're quite the charmer," Mulch grinned. His face hurt, but he had had a lot worse. Goblin gangsters made what Sergei was doing look like a pat on the wrist; Mulch had the scars to prove it.

Sergei was eying him spitefully. "You're the one who landed me in prison! Sure, some bitch from LEP recon played a part, and some overly-nosy mud boy, but I blame you the most, mainly because you're here and they're not. In a sense, you've nominated yourself to bear the punishment for the difficulties I had to endure." His angry visage twisted with disdain. "But then again, I never liked you. Never will, especially now that you've released that stupid series about yourself. Really, I caught it once on channel five. It's so bad I can't differentiate it from human reality shows. Even that retarded American show Honey Boo Boo has better appeal, minus the cellulite of course."

"Good, that's the point, Mr. Insignificant."

Sergei reeled on him. "I've had it up to here with your drivel!"

Mulch didn't back down—he was having too much fun. "And I've had it up to my beard with how you didn't have a forklift in your vault! I would have been out of your hair so much sooner. Now how about we shake hands, call it a day, and have something to eat? Remember, I like my pizza well dressed. And how about some Chinese for seconds? I've been craving those chicken—"

Sergei swore loudly, his face terribly red. "I'm the leader of this pack, I deserve respect! You're my prisoner, so start acting like it! Or do you want to have an intimate encounter with high velocity lead?"

Mulch frowned. "Party-pooper, no cake for you…"

"That's it! I'm going to fill you full of holes!" Sergei drew his pistol, but before he could bring it to bear he got a tap on his shoulder from Derph. Stopping immediately, he listened as the other whispered something into his ear. He nodded, visibly calming down, but also possessed by a new kind of excitement. He whispered something back, and then locked his eyes on Mulch once more.

"Sorry Mulch, but you're death will have to wait," Sergei said, holstering his gun. "It would seem that I have a new customer on the way, and he's looking to buy in bulk. It's payday." He turned around, waving over his shoulder. "As for you, just sit tight. I'll be back for you later. Until then, just imagine what I'm going to do to you."

The door slammed shut, leaving Mulch alone once more in the gloomy cell. He frowned, having realized that he had come within a hair's breadth of being shot by Sergei. Naturally, he didn't blame himself. _Some dwarfs just have no sense of humor. What a loon._

**Pamir Mountains, ****Tajikistan**

The white slopes of the Pamir Mountains gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, the massive peaks jutting into a clear blue sky. On a particular mountain, a mere speck upon the giant's back, drove a Bandvagn 206. The tracked all-terrain carrier was painted completely white so as to blend in with the ubiquitous snow, and it sported no distinguishable markings. Its powerful diesel engine rumbled as it progressed up the steep incline, thick clouds of smoke puffing from its exhaust.

Artemis Fowl studied the treacherous terrain from within the vehicle, the glare of the sun reduced by the tinted windows. He silently noted the glass. _Bulletproof. _It didn't surprise him in the least; he would expect it of anyone in this sort of business. He was seated in the back of the carrier, alone except for the driver, who was not very talkative. The fact that he was alone didn't sit well with Butler, but that had been one of the stipulations in the deal.

"Ten minutes, Mr. Schwarz," the driver, one of Sergei's subordinates, growled.

Artemis smiled slightly, the devious look in his eyes hidden by his reflective sunglasses. "Duly noted. Thank you."

He spoke with a decidedly Austrian accent, best to match his current alias, which had been created only a few days ago. His name was Alphonse Schwarz, a young businessman from Europe who happened to dabble in the drug trade in his spare time. Alphonse was also a closet psychopath, should such attributes be required. He was perfectly at ease in this character, and his disguise, which was composed entirely of custom Brioni apparel, was quite pleasant. The only reason he didn't wear Armani was because it didn't match his alias' tastes, which he described as _very_ _particular_. Overall, the persona was easy to adopt.

_Naturally, I used to run a criminal empire. _Artemis mused as he observed the snow-capped mountains. There was a leather briefcase on the seat beside him, its contents guarded by multiple locks. To his alias it was for the upcoming transaction. In reality it was just a small part of the plan.

It was no surprise to him that his friends in the LEP would seek his help in this. As a former criminal mastermind, and a veritable prodigy, this sort of work was akin to a morning ritual. It took him only a few hours to locate a front for Sergei's gang, and half of that to arrange a meeting with one of their dealers. He did everything a seasoned criminal would be expected to do with regard to setting up a buy; he said his predetermined lines in the just right fashion, and overall presented himself as a cold, profit-oriented businessman. No one expected him to be the brilliant philanthropist he actually was, and they most certainly didn't suspect him of being in league with the Lower Elements Police. _Again, naturally._

Now he was on his way to Sergei's hideout. Normally a buy would happen in a neutral location, but that wouldn't help the mission, so Artemis had made sure it would be otherwise. He knew Sergei from a psychological standpoint, so he knew that if he made a large enough purchase, the dwarf would want to broker it in person. The reasoning behind this was simple—those who buy big make profitable customers. Sergei was undoubtedly intending to form a more permanent business relationship with him, otherwise he wouldn't risk his operation by inviting him, a new buyer, to its core. It brought a vampiric smile to the boy's face, the fact that the dwarf was so eager to do business. _Oh, we'll do business alright, just not the kind you're thinking of._

A few more minutes passed as the carrier made its way towards the summit of the mountain. The view was spectacular, but Artemis didn't let it distract him. Instead, he went over the plan in his mind, silently weighing variables and considering contingencies. Of course, everything was already in place; he just liked to do a little review before going into a test. He abandoned such cogitation as the carrier came to a halt, setting his eyes on the driver ahead of him.

"I assume we're at our destination?"

The dwarf gave him a look. "Yeah, now get out. Sergei doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Artemis gave the dwarf an unsettling smile. "I'm never late. The meeting was set for precisely two-thirty; it is two-twenty-eight. Your boss had suggested a little sooner, but I anticipated your mediocre driving, and gave myself a little more time to accommodate for it."

The dwarf's face twitched with annoyance, but he kept himself in check—Sergei wouldn't want him beating a customer to death now would he?

"Just get out already. You're creeping me out."

Artemis opened the side door. "My apologies. I sometimes forget my manners when I'm at such altitudes. It must be the thin air." Grabbing the briefcase, which was quite heavy, he climbed out of the carrier.

The world grew in brightness as he planted his feet on the ground, ending up a foot deep in snow. With the sun above, and the reflective effect of the frozen earth, everything glowed. Artemis didn't really care, as he had shades, but it was a nice change from the dreary interior of the carrier—the upholstery was all wrong, and it reeked of poor hygiene.

_And here we are. _

Before him was what appeared to be an everyday rock face, the stone covered with sparkling rivulets of ice and snow. Upon closer inspection, however, it became apparent that there was more to it. _Pretty well concealed, I'll give them points for that. _Artemis thought as he started towards it. He passed numerous patches of ground that were obviously concealed by cam foil, likely hiding snowmobiles; he could see the tracks, so it wasn't a hard deduction. As he neared the cliff face, he could make out a well camouflaged doorway—a twenty-foot wide entrance painted in such a way that it blended with the cliff. It shuddered before he got within reach, and slowly slid open, revealing a well-lit interior. A sizable group of dwarfs, at least twenty, casually walked out to meet them, the one at the forefront wearing a large grin.

"Alphonse Schwarz, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," he said, the air before his face condensing as he spoke.

Artemis smiled deceptively. "The feeling's mutual, Sergei," he said, eying the dwarf, then those around him. They were all dressed in heavy winter attire, all of which seemed to be custom made to blend in with the environment, as well as provide protection from more immediate threats, like bullets. With balaclavas and goggles covering their faces, barely any skin was exposed, which was important to dwarfs given how sensitive they were to UV rays. And, of course, every single one of them was armed, their weapons ranging from World War Two era PPSh-41s to modern Uzis, both of which were more compact and thus easier for fairy use than most human weapons. Such a show of force would make many uneasy, but Artemis was not intimidated in the slightest. Why should he, when his plan was going perfectly?

"Quite a reception," Artemis said with a whistle. "Are you expecting trouble?"

Sergei patted his holster. "Just a precaution, my friend. As you well understand, this business is very prone to...disagreements."

"I see, I'm glad you safeguard your operation as you do. I wouldn't buy from someone who didn't have adequate mitigatory measures in place."

"Indeed. Now," Sergei rubbed his hands together, "Do you have the product?"

"As soon as you show me yours."

"Of course, my apologies. I'm just so excited. Right this way."

Artemis was led through the entrance, the door closing behind him the moment he cleared it. The interior was impressive, for a bunch of escaped convicts at least. What appeared to be the remains of a WW2 era listening post had been converted and expanded into a hidden bunker, blast doors and everything. The main room appeared to be a warehouse, filled with skids of packaged drugs and other goods, as well as stolen fairy tech. A heating system whirred overhead, banishing the frigid mountain air.

"Do you like the place?" Sergei said loudly as they passed by countless tons of opiates.

"Very much," Artemis smiled slightly, the lie rolling off his tongue with grace and perfection. "It smells like profit, my favorite aroma." In reality he was both disgusted and angry. He despised the drug trade and all that it stood for, especially when it came to substances like this. It was a disgrace to life, both human and fairy, that such markets existed, its brokers without any shred of conscience or decency. But he had no time to wallow in his emotions—he had work to do.

Artemis observed his surroundings with absolute attention to detail, noting anything and everything that could be considered relevant. Doors, alcoves, control panels, guards, air vents, and other such features. He paid particular attention to a helicopter parked by the exit, though it was hard to miss. The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, an icon of the Vietnam War, had the full gunship setup, with 2 GAU-17/A machine guns, 7 round rocket pods, and door-guns. It too sported a winterized camouflaged paint job, and was situated on a moveable platform so that it could be taken outside for takeoff.

"Impressive, isn't she?" Sergei said, having noticed Artemis' attention. "I _legally_ acquired her from some guys in Pakistan. Cost me only a few dozen rounds of ammunition, if you catch my drift. It's my personal ride."

Artemis only nodded, far too preoccupied with ignoring the dwarf's incessant gloating. Foaly could sort through all the nonsense; he was wearing a throat mic after all, plus a pair of iris cams. It was funny, as usually fairy outlaws would check for such things, but they didn't with humans, because since when did humans and fairies work together? Clearly this bunch hadn't been keeping up with the newspapers, which served as another advantage for not only him, but the elf that had been shadowing him the entire time.

* * *

_Be careful, Artemis. _Holly thought as she observed from above, her eyes tracking the young man until he was out of sight. She had entered the facility right behind Artemis, her recon suit concealing her from the dwarfs, who thankfully had no thermal imaging gear on them. She had used a pair of wings to travel to the summit of the mountain, where she waited for Artemis to gain access. Once inside, it had been easy to weave her way through the warehouse until she found the right vantage point. Now she was crouched upon one of the metal girders that comprised the superstructure of the facility, about twenty feet above the floor below. Her wings, which were cumbersome in tight spaces, had been removed and hidden already—wearing them would be difficult in a firefight.

_Though I hope it doesn't come to that. _

Using her helmet's ocular filters, the elf switched to thermal imaging. It lit up the gloom with heat signatures, and as she counted them she frowned a little.

"Sergei's definitely been recruiting. There are a lot more than six dwarfs in this room alone, and that just appears to be the doormen," she said over her comm link.

"_Not surprising,"_ Foaly replied, seated in a comfortable chair hundreds of miles away. _"He orchestrated a prison break right when the war struck Haven, rallied a lot of dwarfs to his cause. Obviously he's very successful, as otherwise they would have jumped ship on him by now."_

Holly nodded, noting the sheer volume of illicit drugs that were in varying stages of packaging. It made her sick, seeing such ridiculous amounts of the horrid substances. The operation before her was nothing short of pure evil, making money off of selling people drugs that would inevitably ruin their bodies and minds, a one-sided deal in which money was exchanged for a slow and pitiful demise through self-destruction. Addiction was a terrible thing, and greed had to capitalize on it, like vultures onto a corpse. It was repulsive, made even worse by the fact that fairies were behind it. Holly had always thought of her kind as better than the majority of humanity—smarter, wiser, and more peaceful—but this reminded her of the reality she had seen ever since joining the LEP: that the People's idea of exceptionalism was a lie. Fairies had the same faults as humans did. They had the same potential to lie, to steal, to rape, to murder; being part of a magical race didn't free them of moral depravity. She'd seen it many times, and the sight below reminded her of it. Sometimes fairies were no better. Sometimes they were far worse. Opal Koboi had been a testament to that.

Glaring at the disgusting scene below, Holly settled in to wait. She knew Artemis would be back, and she knew that he would succeed. It was only a matter of time. Awaiting his return, she set her mind on her duty as an officer, and her convictions as an elf. This operation was going down, and one way or another, Holly was going to be the one who delivered the punchline.

* * *

"Here, in my office," Sergei said, waving Artemis into a smaller room. It was a barren office, with only a worn desk, several chairs, and a monitor. Again, the door closed behind him, this time by the hand of Derph, Sergei's right-hand man. Both had encountered him before, back during the Fei Fei Tiara incident. But that had been a long time ago, and Artemis was used to having to alter his persona to effectively reduce the probability of recollection. His shades also concealed his most memorable feature: his penetrating eyes. They wouldn't remember, not yet at least.

"Alright then! Let's get down to business," Sergei said excitedly, rubbing his hands together once more. He had taken off his ski mask, revealing his sly features. Anyone could tell at a glance that he was a very unpleasant person. "Have a seat, please. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you." Artemis sat down in the leather chair, noting that Derph had taken up a position directly behind him, no doubt with a firearm within reach. Showing no sign of discomfort, the young man placed the leather briefcase on the desk, his arms straining under the weight of its contents. His fingers hovered over the locks, which were both code and print activated. "I assume that what I saw on the way in was the first installment of my shipment?"

"Yes," Sergei nodded, reaching into the desk. He procured a bag of chalky substance—heroin—and slid it across to Artemis. The dwarf grinned. "Try it if you like. It is the best, just as I promised."

Artemis eyed the drug coolly. "No thanks, I prefer to collect the market value, and leave the consumption to the fools who subscribe it such self-destructive habits. And I will take your word for it with regard to quality. I'm feeling lucky today."

"And so do I," Sergei said, his shrewd eyes glinting as he regarded the briefcase. "Now show me the gold."

Artemis smiled emptily as he unlocked the case, never once taking his eyes off of the dwarf. Before he opened it, he paused for effect. "Gold is power."

The briefcase contained a total of six 400 troy-ounce bars of solid gold, each without any markings whatsoever. They glowed even in the dull office, a foreshadowing of their worth—over three million dollars combined. Sergei was very pleased.

"I like what I see. However, you're short a few ounces."

_Of course you can tell, you're a dwarf. _Artemis thought, fighting back a smile. Instead, he feigned surprise. "I was certain I had the right amount. I'm sorry, is there any other way I can pay the remaining balance?"

Sergei shook his head, and behind him Artemis could hear Derph shifting his weight. He didn't panic—he had planned for this. Setting his eyes on the monitor that was turned to face Sergei, he smiled knowingly. "Perhaps you need someone eliminated. Perhaps you have a captive I can relieve you of. After all, that monitor must be providing a live feed of a cell. Am I correct?"

"You're smarter than you look," Sergei said, a little surprise registering in his eyes. He turned the screen, showing a surveillance feed of a small room. Mulch was impossible to miss.

"Quite a sullied looking catch," Artemis said heartlessly.

"I don't need your help to dispose of him," Sergei said dismissively. "As you can probably tell, I have more than enough assets at my disposal to make him suffer a terrible death."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"How do you plan on doing it?"

That made the dwarf hesitate for a second, but his ego quickly took control. "I plan on giving him a very personal session with my fist, followed by the meticulous removal of all of his extremities."

Inwardly Artemis flinched, his worry for the dwarf enhanced by such ruthless intentions. Outwardly, however, he looked disappointed. "Really, is that it? You do know that he will go into shock long before you can complete such a task? It ruins the whole point if he's not conscious for it, and as a result not verbally responsive."

"I don't need you telling me how to torture prisoners!" Sergei rasped, his temper heating up.

Artemis was unfazed. He slowly leaned forward, his face showing no emotion apart from a twisted smile that was purposefully designed to scare people. He stared at the dwarf until he knew he had made his heartbeat go up a few notches. "I'll let you in on a little secret. You see, the human body is truly magnificent, a work of art! Billions upon billions of individual cells all interlinked for form a whole, like the tiny fibers that form a Persian carpet. It is far more complex than any machine, any creation of man, and still perplexes the minds of those who would see it unraveled. That fascinates me to no end."

Sergei shifted uncomfortably, his right hand resting at his side. Artemis smiled even more, knowing he was getting the desired effect. "To put it bluntly, I like to witness such unraveling first hand. In fact, I can carry it out flawlessly."

The dwarf gave him a look. "What are you a surgeon or something?"

"Oh, nothing so lofty. I am a simple connoisseur of dissection, manipulation, and prolongation. If you want to make someone suffer, I can drag it out indefinitely without lessening the pain. It's all about keeping the brain functioning, the fluids moving, and, of course, the nerves transmitting." He leaned forward even more, his pale complexion ghostly in the gloom. "Let me tell you what I would do, if I had stewardship over that prisoner." He did so in such a long and detailed account that it went on for ten minutes. Artemis felt disgusted, and was certain that the centaur listening in was losing his lunch, but it was a necessary evil. Sergei listened the whole while, a horrified look on his face. But Artemis could see the yearning too—the desire that Sergei had to see his enemy going through such terror. When he was finished, Artemis sat back, shifting into a calm, sane persona once more. Sergei just stared at him.

"You're one sick bastard," he finally said. A grin slowly worked its way across his face. "I like that."

"Do we have a deal?"

The dwarf looked at the monitor, clearly wondering if he should outsource the demise of his captive. "I'll need it filmed. There's a police organization I'd like to send it to, so as to let them know I'm serious."

"Done. I'll put Hollywood to shame."

Another moment of thought. Another flicker of sick anticipation in Sergei's eyes. "Deal."

Artemis smiled. He knew he could use the dwarf's desire for revenge to get Mulch out of his hands. Now there was the matter of getting out.

"Then I will leave the gold with you. I'll take the prisoner, and forward you the coordinates to ship the product to." He got up out of the chair, grinning endlessly. "I'm looking forward to any future transactions with you, Sergei."

"I will feel the same way once you get me that tape."

"Patience, my friend. Good things come to those who wait."

By now Derph had left the room, gone to fetch the prisoner. Sergei led Artemis back to the warehouse where they waited. A few minutes later, there was a commotion as Derph, along with five others, dragged a kicking and whining Mulch Diggums into the room.

"Please, my fellow criminals, have mercy on such a brilliant dwarf as I!" Mulch whined. "I'll give you all the Diggums merchandise you want! Signed bobble-heads, t-shirts, crunchball helmets, posters, the works! I'll even feature you in my next episode. We can all have a laugh passing gas at on-duty police officers!"

Up above them, still perched upon the metal girders, Holly let out a relieved sigh.

"I have visual of the package," she said. "Now let's hope Mulch doesn't do anything stupid."

"_That's like asking for goblins to start respecting Haven's fire code,"_ Foaly said over the comm link.

Holly frowned. "Good point."

Below, Artemis watched as the dwarf was thrown at his feet, cuffed and bound in multiple places. Mulch rolled around a little before managing to right himself. When he did, the first thing he saw was the young man looming over him. _Play along. _Artemis told him with an expression. Mulch nodded, but it would seem as though what Artemis actually meant was lost in translation, or just blatantly ignored.

The first thing Mulch Diggums did was grin. Then, he turned his back to Sergei and flipped him off with his restrained hands, doing a little jig at the same time. "Thank goodness you're here!" the dwarf said loudly to Artemis. "I was beginning to think you would actually leave me to these scatterbrains."

"What!?" Sergei growled, looking to Mulch, then to Artemis. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"I have not the slightest idea," Artemis deadpanned. He upheld his composure, but inwardly sighed. _Mulch, you had one job! _

Above him, Holly had already prepared her Neutrinos—she would need two for this. She wasn't very surprised. It was never a question of if Mulch would pull something like that; it was a question of when, how many times, and how vulgar it would be.

"_Told you so," _Foaly said in her ear.

The elf nodded. "Plan B it is then." She set her weapons to stun, and prepared to jump into the scene below, which was falling apart at an astounding rate.

"Alphonse, I'll give you another chance," Sergei growled, his hand on his holster. "Tell me!"

Artemis put up his hands in apparent innocence. "I have no idea what that midget's talking about. He must be high on your product or something. You know how opiates affect one's mental capacity to make sense. He must be hallucinating."

Derph and Sergei's other subordinates had already drawn their weapons, though they held them idly—there was no present danger coming from a shackled dwarf and a thin mud boy. Their leader, on the other hand, was far less subtle. Drawing his handgun, he eyed Artemis suspiciously. Then, all of the sudden, the look in his eyes changed.

"Wait, I know you. You're that human, the one who tried to deceive me; the same one that had been working with Diggums!"

Artemis grinned devilishly. There was no point continuing this farce. Thanks to Mulch, things were about to get ugly; such conflict was unavoidable. The young genius chuckled purposefully as he removed his sunglasses, setting his brilliant blue eyes upon Sergei. "Guilty as charged," he said with an unsettling smile. He tossed his shades to the side, and as everyone's gazes followed the glasses, his followed the slight shimmer that was dropping right into their midst.

_Plan B it is. Your turn, Major._

The elf landed right in the middle of Sergei's gang, her appearance nothing more than a slight disturbance in the air, and her connection with the stone floor almost noiseless. What happened next, however, was very noisy indeed. Holly unshielded, and with a sudden explosion of blue energy, let loose with both of her Neutrinos, blasting the dwarfs around her so fast that they could only gape as they fell to the floor, unconscious.

Sergei spun about, his pistol aiming erratically. "LEP! LEP!" he yelled, and that's when the excrement hit the fan.

The remaining dwarfs, startled and infuriated, spun around, firing indiscriminately in the direction of the LEP officer, their submachineguns spitting out shell casings like coins from a slot machine. Holly, already on the move, returned fire, dropping two more dwarfs before ducking behind a pallet of packaged drugs. Bullets ripped through the vacuum sealed bags, sending clouds of narcotics all over Holly. _Good thing I'm wearing a helmet. _She thought as a ridiculous amount of heroin coated her visor. Brushing it off with acute disgust, the elf launched herself back into the fray, starting off by roundhouse-kicking a dwarf that had gotten too close, while simultaneously blasting another in the chest.

Not too far off, crouching behind a stack of crates, Artemis worked on Mulch's cuffs. LEP restrains were child's play, so they were off in a few seconds.

"Thanks," Mulch said, rubbing his wrists, "You have no idea how terrible Sergei is at playing host."

"You're terrible at reading body language!" Artemis shot back, flinching as a bullet ricocheted off the wall behind him. "Had you just played along like I implicitly told you to, we wouldn't be the only two unarmed pacifists in the middle of a John Woo film!"

Mulch pouted insincerely. "My bad, I should have forsaken a chance to gloat at Sergei. I should have groveled like an idiot."

"Something tells me you don't mean that!"

"You're right, I don't!" Mulch grinned.

An explosion interrupted whatever response Artemis was making, followed by a fresh storm of gunfire. Both of them ducked down as debris blasted over their hiding place, and as his suit was spattered with it, Artemis noted that his plan, despite having been forced onto the more _kinetic_ path, was actually going smoothly. However, ever since the first, his adventures with Holly et al used the term _smoothly_ very loosely, because it seemed to be synonymous with gunfights and explosions.

Another flurry of Neutrino charges riddled a group attacking dwarfs, who were ducking behind whatever cover they could find. Holly kept them pinned down as she made her way towards her comrades.

"What's the sitrep on Retrieval One?" she yelled to Foaly, not even blinking as she ran amidst a whirlwind of chaos.

"_Well, that's disappointing...As Artemis predicted they are going to be late. It would seem that there's always an unscheduled magma flare when you don't want one,"_ the centaur replied, clearly annoyed that the boy had been flawlessly correct. _"They're definitely going to be upset, missing out on the action."_

"Tell them not to get their wings in a knot, there's still plenty to go around!"

Holly continued to retreat, and when she was about a few meters from Artemis and Mulch, one of the room's doors burst open. She instinctively aimed at it, until she noted the large number of dwarfs coming out of it. One of them wielded an RPG-7, and brought it to bear with a toothy grin. He seemed to be enjoying himself. The dwarf fired, along with his two-dozen comrades, sending a rocket propelled grenade and an entourage of lead flying towards her. _Why do they always have those!? _Holly thought, abandoning her attacks and throwing herself over a pile of metal crates. The RPG screamed over her, barely missing her foot as she dived head-first for cover. It continued into the metal door that blocked the exit, literally blowing it off of its hinges.

"Alright, we've gotta go!" Holly noted aloud, her helmet's speakers transmitting her voice to her two frazzled-looking comrades beside her.

Artemis sat up, brushing off his suit, doing a remarkably good job at composing himself. "You don't say."

Mulch was much less articulate, simply mumbling something about being a far too precious being to belong in such a brutal firefight.

As bullets hammered into their cover, Holly procured a flashbang. Priming it, she nodded to Artemis, who in turn covered his eyes. "On my mark!" Timing it perfectly, she lobbed the grenade over the crates, sending it spinning into the large gathering of heavily-armed dwarfs.

Sergei, who was in the process of reloading his gun, had the luck of having the flashbang roll right into his boot. He looked down, noting the grenade with particular dismay. "Oh shi—!"

Light erupted from the small device, filling the entire warehouse for a brief moment. Chaos ensued, the small army of dwarfs rendered into a disorganized mess of temporarily blind gunmen, tumbling about like a bunch of drunks. The chorus of surprised shouts and screams was overpowered by a verbal repository of fairy curses, courtesy of Sergei, who was rolling on the floor in agony, firing his pistol in the air out of sheer rage.

_That should buy us enough time! _Holly thought, grabbing Artemis and Mulch and propelling them towards the exit. Neither the dwarf nor the genius were very good runners, so Holly intentionally brought up the rear, firing at the enemy as she went. Only a few shots rang out after them, and those were terribly inaccurate, a result of the flash grenade. As they neared the exit, a very angry scream chased after them.

"Oh boy, Sergei's pissed!" Mulch exclaimed through a stupid grin.

Artemis, who was just barely keeping pace with someone half his size, gave him a look. "Can you possibly take things any less seriously? You baffle even me with such nonchalance!"

"That's because Diggums transcends the flimsy understanding of mere mortals!" The dwarf replied victoriously. His victory was short lived, as Holly's combat boot decisively collided with his rear with enough force to increase his speed by a few miles per hour. "Ah! My porcelain cheeks!" Mulch squeaked.

"Less talk, more running!" the elf yelled, still caught between running forward and shooting backward.

"Aye, aye Captain! I mean Major...So many jokes that won't work anymore!" The dwarf replied with a pout.

"Shut it!"

"Aye, aye Major!"

Holly rolled her eyes, but resisted the urge to shoot the dwarf in the rear with a low-powered shot. There would be better times to get even.

The three companions reached the exit a few moments later, where the exploded doors had left an opening into the bright world beyond. Frigid wind blew in from beyond, bringing with it clouds of snow, further concealing their escape.

"Come on!" Holly yelled, rushing up to take the lead.

"Just one moment!" Mulch yelled back, pausing to grab a pair of heavy winter gear that was on a rack by the exit. He had it on in a flash, and quickly joined the others. "Don't want to get a sunburn. My sensitive skin is a national treasure."

Holly didn't even bother arguing at this point. "Whatever helps you sleep at night," she muttered.

Artemis was the first to emerge from the bunker, once again ending up in the deep snow that comprised the mountain terrain. _This won't do. _He thought, already winded from the sprinting and near-death experiences. In less than a minute the enemy would regain their senses, which meant that they had little time to distance themselves from them. Walking was not an appealing option, but neither had it ever been his intention.

"Holly, the snowmobiles," he said, indicating towards the spots where the machine tracks abruptly stopped.

"Already on it!" she replied, tearing the cam foil from one of the machines and tossing it into the wind. The snowmobile was clearly a high-end model, and it even had custom controls to facilitate a fairy's smaller stature. Holly mounted it instinctively, always at ease with any machine that could go fast. "Huh, they left the keys," she noted, grabbing them off the seat and inserting them into the ignition. The machine roared to life, its powerful engine working despite the frigid cold. Holly grinned. "You guys ready?"

Artemis, who was sitting behind her, looked a little nervous. "I don't think anyone can ever be ready for your driving. On the contrary, it's scientifically impossible." Behind him, Mulch clung on for dear life.

Holly revved the engine. "I know, it was a rhetorical question."

"Wonderful," Artemis murmured, putting aside his fright and bringing his cellphone to his ear. He had already dialed a number.

"_Plan B I take it?"_ Butler's voice came through.

"Affirmative, old friend. We'll be there in approximately ten minutes."

"_Understood. Be safe."_

"So long as Holly doesn't drive like she flies," Artemis sighed. Hanging up, he noticed that the elf was looking at him, and through her visor he could see that look in her eyes.

"Yeah right!" she said.

_Oh dear. _Artemis thought, just as Holly turned it to full throttle, launching them forward so suddenly that he nearly fell off. Things didn't improve at all from there on out.

Behind them, just a few seconds after they sped off, Sergei and his gang emerged from the bunker, weapons blazing. The rounds just barely missed as the snowmobile dropped out of sight, the result of a very steep slope.

"Dammit!" Sergei cursed loudly, his M1911 smoking as he loaded a full magazine. His vision had cleared, but his anger had only intensified. With a snarl on his face, he turned to his subordinates. "What are you waiting for!? After them! I want them dead! Dead a million times over! So dead that death himself will have to seek emotional counseling!"

His dwarfs burst into action, uncovering the rest of the snowmobiles and revving them to life, filling the crisp mountain air with the sound of engines and loading weapons. Teaming up two per machine, the dwarfs sped off after their target, sending clouds of snow flying in their wake. Sergei gritted his teeth as he watched the dozen snowmobiles go. _Those bastards! I will not have them ruin my business again!_

Turning around, he saw Derph mounting a snowmobile as well. Sergei stopped him, putting a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. When his second in command gave him a curious look, he returned it with an authoritative one of his own. "No, my friend, we're going to take a much better approach. I'm not holding back any longer!" He looked into the open entrance of the facility, where the intimidating form of his gunship was visible. A wicked smile worked its way across his face.

"I'm gonna send them straight to hell!"

**Somewhere in the Pamir Mountains**

Somewhere in the mountains, standing upon the summit of a smaller hill, was what appeared to the abominable snowman; a massive white hulk that was intimidating even amidst the looming rock formations. It would have caused quite the frenzy amongst tourists, but they would have ended up disappointed, because it was not the beast of legend they would be hoping for; it was Domovoi Butler. That was not to say that he wasn't a creature of legend. If anything, he made the abominable snowman look like a fuzzy white kitten. Dressed in winter camouflage, the bodyguard surveyed the landscape before him, a pair of high-powered binoculars in his hands.

"Just as I thought," he said. "Mulch did something stupid. Now we're onto plan B."

"Completely unsurprising. Anyway, that's what I wanted to hear!" an excited voice said behind him. Juliet Butler was just a few meters away, her attention primarily upon two very large cases, which appeared to be made specifically for dangerous cargo. She seemed quite animated as she undid their locking mechanisms, though her wide grin was hidden by her hood. "I was hoping it would come to this. Otherwise we wouldn't have a share in the action."

"Be careful what you wish for," Butler said, his brotherly side apparent in his words. He often acted as her mentor, but before anything else she was her older brother. It was his responsibility to protect her, and that meant being the cautious one. Nevertheless, he couldn't argue with her either—he had once been as gung-ho as she, and even now he retained more than enough of it to make him enjoy action. He just hid it better. "Artemis will be here in ten minutes, and he's bringing company. I suggest we get our gear ready."

"Then let's get to it," Juliet remarked. She opened one of the cases, a glimmer in her eyes. "They're going to need a few guardian angels. Time for us to rain down some divine judgement."

**Not Too Far Away, Pamir Mountains**

The snow-covered hills sparkled in the sunlight, the mountain winds casting up waves of the small ice particles, which shined all the brighter in the crisp air, like whimsical fairy dust. There were no trees, nor was there any sound apart from the wind, leaving the brilliant white expanse like a barren wasteland; a beautiful wasteland. It was a place of tranquility, where it seemed as though the land met the sky above, a bridge between two worlds. But such things never last.

A distant sound, low and continuous, slowly began to rise. It was followed by many others, and then, with an appalling suddenness, the tranquil environment shattered. A snowmobile flew over the ridge, throwing up clouds of snow and ice as its powerful engine roared monstrously. It flew for a few seconds, taking a lot of air, and then crashed down into the snow, ruining the windswept landscape in one decisive action. Apart from the ruined perfection, one thing was for certain—the driver of the snowmobile was crazy. Artemis Fowl had the luck of being a passenger.

Holding on for dear life, the genius tried not to look at the speedometer. "This was not part of the plan!" he yelled, having failed to ignore the maxed-out meter.

"What? I can't hear you!" Holly yelled back, sounding very much amused.

Artemis gave up. Escaping via the snowmobile had been a logical step. However, going so fast that he and Mulch nearly reached the stratosphere several times was not part of the plan. It was something only Holly would do, and he should have seen it coming.

"Here they come!" Mulch remarked from the back, sounding more than a little queasy.

Looking back, Artemis felt another level of anxiety. A dozen snowmobiles burst over the ridge directly behind them, their speed very much a reflection of their drivers' terrible moods.

"Boy do they look mad!" Mulch said, his grin evident in his words.

"Since when was that a question!?" Artemis retorted, the dwarfs' lack of worry an enigma to him.

Holly increased the throttle, projecting her voice from her helmet at the same time. "Just shut up and hold on you two! You're big mouths are causing so much drag we're slowing down!"

That made them shut up. It also made Artemis wonder if he should retort with regard to how aerodynamics worked—his mouth certainly didn't cause that much drag. However, his thoughts were immediately scattered by a loud staccato of gunfire from behind them. The pursuing dwarfs were not the subtle type. As one drove, the other took up position behind and opened fire, filling the clean air with high-velocity lead and combusted propellant. With a dozen automatic firearms pointing right at them, Artemis et al were in for a very permanent game of manhunt.

Artemis, in the heat of the moment, found himself thinking. _Riding a getaway snowmobile in the Pamir Mountains, accompanied by a crazy elf and an equally special dwarf, chased by a gang of drug-smuggling dwarfs with machineguns, and wearing an expensive suit that will probably not live to see a dry cleaner. _It was surprisingly normal, not even in the top ten of insane things he'd done, but it still scared the hell out of him.

With the gang chasing them with murderous intent, Holly pushed the machine to its limits, all while bullets whizzed past them in swarms. The projectiles cast up snow all around them as they missed, their inability to strike their targets yet another work of pure luck. Unfortunately, such luck ran out very quickly, as at least one of the pursuing dwarfs could actually aim.

"Dammit!" Holly yelled as a bullet glanced off her helmet. Infuriated, the elf drew her Neutrino, and while keeping one hand on the controls, she looked back towards the enemy. "Pardon me," she said as she pointed the pistol right above Artemis' head, not waiting for him to duck before opening fire. The Neutrino let loose a flurry of blasts, all of which riddled a pursuing snowmobile and its occupants, knocking them out and sending them spiraling out of control. She fired on the next closest one, this time striking its engine in such a way that it caught fire. Its occupants bailed out, and not a moment later the machine exploded in a ball of fire. The rest backed off a little after that.

"That should make them keep their distance," Holly stated as she returned her attention to driving. "But just in case, take this." She handed one of her Neutrinos to Artemis, who held it like a man holding a used diaper.

"I can't use this! I can't hit anything!"

"Not part of the plan either? Then give it to Mulch. At least he has some coordination."

Artemis did so in a flash, and the dwarf grinned.

"You're a scholar and a gentleman."

That did nothing to reassure the boy. Mulch with a Neutrino was a scary thing.

The high-speed chase continued through the snowy wasteland, much like a Mad Max film on ice, except instead of Mel Gibson there were Irish geniuses and fairies. The sound of gunfire was constant, leaving a trail of hot shell casings melting through the snow. Holly managed to keep a safe distance between them and the enemy, but it was apparent that it couldn't last forever—there was a hole in their fuel tank, thanks to a few lucky shots.

Artemis took this into account, but he concluded that it didn't matter. He had studied the topography of the mountains, and he knew exactly where they were. That meant he knew exactly where their backup was, which was precisely what he was counting on.

"Only a little further!" he called out, his voice difficult to hear amongst the wind and shots.

An explosion suddenly shook the earth, ripping apart the ground in front of them. Holly, being about the best stunt driver in the world, swerved around the fiery cloud, but another erupted just as they cleared it.

"RPG!" the elf warned, sounding quite perplexed at the same time. How on earth did those dwarfs manage to fire one of those from the back of a moving snowmobile!? But then again, how did Mulch do the things he did? Dwarfs seemed to take the laws of reality and substitute them with their own.

"They're gaining on us!" Mulch yelled, firing a few shots as the enemy gained on them. They had lost speed due to avoiding the explosions, and speed was the currency of life at the moment.

Another RPG missed and tore the earth before them, once again forcing them to evade. Once more, the enemy gained ground.

"We can't keep this up!" Holly said to Artemis, who was cast in concentration. The young man didn't seem very worried. In fact, after a moment of thought, he smiled confidently.

"We won't have to."

Immediately thereafter, one of the chasing snowmobiles literally disintegrated, its frame torn apart by an unseen force, and its occupants sent flying into the snow. A split second later came a distant boom, which echoed through the mountains. Before any of the dwarfs could register what was happening, another high caliber round struck, this time destroying an engine and subsequently causing for the machine to do a spectacular wipeout. Artemis grinned victoriously as this happened, his eyes set on a hill about a kilometer away.

"Nice shooting, Butler."

A thousand meters away, through the high-powered scope of his rifle, Butler could read the boy's lips. He smiled in return.

"I do my best."

Lying prone in the snow, Butler cycled the action of his AX338 sniper rifle, ejecting a spent casing and chambering another round. He did so smoothly and surely, his eye constantly peering through the scope, continuously tracking the enemy. There was a kilometer between him and his targets, and in that distance there were numerous crosswinds and other factors at play, making accuracy a challenge. He had expected this, and had packed accordingly. His rifle, chambered in the venerable .338 Lapua Magnum—a long-range precision caliber surpassed only by the .50 BMG—was made for arctic climates, and therefore functioned perfectly in the extreme cold. But then again, a rifle was only as good as its user. Bulter was among the best.

"Juliet, you take the four on the left," he said calmly. "Target their engines."

"With pleasure."

Juliet Butler was a few meters away, using the same equipment as he was. Both had hearing protection on, but that didn't stop them from seeing each others lip movements. Now set on their targets, both of the Butlers silently went to work, making windage adjustments and accounting for bullet drop before letting their fingers hover over their hair-triggers. Each took a steady breath, followed by a final moment of calm, and then a light pull of the trigger. _BOOM! _The sound echoed through the air, but before even that the low-drag bullets were upon their targets, moving faster than the speed of sound. Two more of the pursuing snowmobiles were knocked out of action, their engines torn apart by the powerful rounds. Another salvo came almost instantly, and again they met their marks, throwing another pair of machines into chaos. The Butlers didn't stop there.

Artemis watched with amazement as all eight of the chasing snowmobiles were taken apart in less than fifteen seconds, their crews uninjured only because the Butlers were not trying to kill them. Smoke filled the air behind them as engines erupted and gasoline ignited, scorching the landscape and further covering their escape. It was over so fast that it almost seemed anticlimactic.

"My best compliments to the Butlers!" Holly yelled over her shoulder, sounding very much relieved that they had lost their pursuers. She kept the machine going, though she allowed for it to slow down a little. "Now that that's taken care of, let's hope Retrieval One can get here and mop it all up."

Artemis nodded, but his intuition told him that it wasn't over. It was rare that it was ever this easy. Holly seemed to notice this too, as she tensed up all of the sudden.

"Just got word from Foaly," she said urgently. "We've got company."

Not a moment later there came the telltale sound of rotor blades, followed by the rumble of a turbo-charged twin engine. A few seconds later, a helicopter burst over the ridge behind them, appearing through the smoke of the burning snowmobiles like a hellish beast through the clouds of fiery perdition. The wind generated by its rotors cast up a whirlwind of snow, but it did nothing to hide the retreating snowmobile from its upgraded thermal imaging.

"_So, you little pests have managed to destroy my fleet!"_ came Sergei's voice over the chopper's loudspeaker.

"Uh oh," Mulch said, for once sounding nervous. "Sergei's compensating for something."

Holly took one glance at the gunship, and silently grimaced. _Time to speed up! _She punched it up to full throttle, eliciting a jolt of energy from the machine. She could only hope to evade the gunship until the Butlers took it out.

Above the mountain landscape, sitting in the pilot's seat of the gunship, Sergei let out an angry growl. His subordinates had failed, and he had lost a significant amount of money in those snowmobiles. But even worse was the feeling of humiliation. He would not let it go any further. Setting his eyes on his prey below, he spoke into the transmitter again.

"Run as fast as you can, it won't save you now!"

There was an immediate response from the hill five-hundred meters ahead of him, which took form in a bullet as it tore through the _bullet-proof_ canopy of his chopper, leaving a fist-sized hole just an inch above his head. Sergei swore loudly, but took instant action as well, the thermal filters in his stolen LEP flight helmet illuminating the snipers' position like a splotch of red amidst a sea of blue.

"You tried to scare me off? Well, you won't get another shot!" he said as he moved his thumb over one of the buttons on the controls. He pressed it, eliciting a loud whoosh as several rockets blasted from their housings, heading straight for the hill.

Butler saw the rockets coming right at him as he peered through his scope. "Time to go!" he yelled over to Juliet, who was in the process of reloading. Both of them abandoned their heavy rifles, throwing themselves from the summit of the hill just as the rockets plunged into it. The explosion was horrendous, literally obliterating the entire top of the rise, and sending tons of ice and snow rolling down after the two Butlers. As hot air and debris rushed past them, they did their best to control their descent down the hill. But when you were going down an icy slope of a seventy-degree angle, it was hard to slow down.

"Hold on!" Butler called out to Juliet, who was a few feet from him. Looking back, he saw the avalanche careening towards them. It was too fast for them to escape, reaching speeds in excess of a hundred miles per hour. He looked ahead again, assessing his options in a split second. There was a cliff face to his right just a little ways ahead; it would provide cover from the avalanche.

Reaching out, he managed to grab hold of Juliet. Then, using his immense strength, he propelled her and then himself to the right, resisting the downward motion for just enough time to get them behind the cliff. Not a second later the wall of snow blasted by, shaking the very earth with its passage.

"Thanks, that was too close," Juliet said, breathing hard from the adrenaline rush.

Butler simply nodded, setting his eyes on the distant hills. "I just hope they are alright."

Five-hundred meters away, holding on for dear life, Artemis thought the same thing about the Butlers. Of course they would be fine—he had an unbreakable confidence in them. Nevertheless, he worried. However, such worries were dashed by the fact that he should be far more concerned with a more pressing matter, that being the gunship flying right behind them.

"_Die you worms!" _Sergei's furious voice echoed through the alpine air, followed by the sound of rockets being fired. Explosions went off all around them, the shock-waves threatening to roll over the snowmobile despite Holly's best efforts.

"Hold on you two! Things are getting heated up!" the elf yelled.

_Really, you don't say? _Artemis thought, but he was far too terrified to utter such a thing.

They sped down the slope, chased by fiery death as Sergei sprayed bullets all over the place with the helicopter's machine-guns. As they neared the bottom, however, it became apparent that there was an obstacle in their way.

"Is that a crevasse?" Holly said.

Artemis looked over her shoulder, and frowned. "Yes it is."

The crevasse, a fifty-meter wide crack the seemed to cut across the landscape from end to end, was closing in fast, and with the gunship right on their tail, it was a very bad spot. Luckily for them Holly was not intending to stop, and Artemis actually had an idea.

"Mulch!" he called out, finding the dwarf hiding within the comfort of his winter attire.

"Mulch is on sick leave, he's allergic to bullets."

"I need you to do something that will inevitably enrage Sergei."

The dwarf was out of hiding in an instant. "Well why didn't you say so?"

Artemis ignored that, and instead pointed ahead. "You see that crevasse? We need to span it."

The dwarf grinned. "Oh, I know what you need."

A few moments later, the dwarf was ready to deploy his _reserves_. With the gunship behind them, and the crevasse right ahead, there was no room for error.

"Here we go! The Diggums express is open!"

They sped right at the crevasse, and as they did so, Sergei's voice came after them.

"_You're trapped! Finally, now you're going to die!"_

Despite being nervous, Artemis managed to grin. _Not this time._

Just as they reached the crevasse, Mulch let loose a blast of toxic dwarf fumes, literally tripling their speed in a matter of seconds. The snowmobile was launched over the gap, its natural propellant making a terribly immature noise that overpowered even that of the helicopter. From his position, all Sergei could see was a flying snowmobile, and the unmistakable sight of Mulch's buttocks.

They landed on the other side with a thud, the force shaking the machine but not causing much damage. Holly immediately throttled it again, intent on keeping a distance between them and the gunship. However, when she glanced back, there was no chopper to be seen.

"Where did he go!?" she yelled.

"In front of us," Artemis said immediately.

As he said this, the helicopter appeared from below the landscape ahead of them, so suddenly that it was impressive. Clearly Sergei knew a thing or two about flying, which Holly would have respected had he not been a despicable degenerate. The gunship turned so that its left side was facing them, and then its side door slid open, revealing Derph at the controls of an MG3 machinegun.

_Not on my watch! _Holly thought defiantly, drawing her other Neutrino with one hand. As Derph opened fire, filling the air with high caliber rounds, Holly retaliated with her own weapon, riddling the unprotected side of the gunship with energy blasts. One struck Derph on the chest, but to his credit he kept firing. Another subsequently struck him on the head, knocking him out completely, causing for him to slump forward. As the dwarf fell from the chopper, landing in a snow bank, Sergei swore over the loudspeaker, very much annoyed.

"_You damn LEP! You never learn!"_

He brought the gunship around to face them, his rage taking complete control.

"_Let's finish this! Once and for all!"_

Holly glared at the gunship, knowing that there was no way out but forward. If she stopped, or even turned another direction, they would be easy prey. But she couldn't go right at him either, not without endangering the lives of her friends. Of course, there was a simple solution, which was formulated when she saw the topography ahead of them.

"Sorry you two," she said, slowing down the machine just a little.

Artemis looked at her. "Don't tell me you're going to—"

He was silenced as Holly shoved him off, and the boy took Mulch with him. Both of them flew into the deep snow. Holly knew they would be alright, but Artemis' suit would certainly not fare well. _Now onto the mission. _She gazed ahead, noting in her peripherals the near-empty gas tank. She would only get one shot at this. Turning the throttle to full, she sped right at the approaching gunship, a suicide mission by all accounts. At least Sergei thought this.

"_Charging right at me? Challenge accepted you LEP scum! Eat lead!"_ he roared.

The two miniguns mounted on the chopper whirred to life, and a second later breathed fire. Their firing rate made each shot indistinguishable from the next, and the stream of tracer rounds lit up the air between the helicopter and Holly. The world around her was torn apart, and as rounds struck the machine itself, Holly ducked low to reduce the chance of being hit. At the same time she pushed the machine onward, gaining speed despite the danger.

"Just a little further!" she growled, feeling the machine tremble as more rounds struck it. "Come on!"

She was now only a few seconds from reaching the gunship, and by this time Sergei was getting mad. He fired the remainder of his rockets, sending them straight for the elf. It was at that precise moment, as the projectiles were speeding towards her, when she reached the natural ramp in the ice she had spied earlier. It scooped the snowmobile up, and in a flash it was flying above the earth. It was just in time too, as with a dreadful blast of sound the rockets flew right under her, exploding against the ground she had been on a second ago. Now in mid-air, Holly rode the machine right towards the helicopter, which was about level with her now.

_Just like a Hollywood action film…_Holly thought as she let go of the machine, letting her velocity carry her up and over the rotating blades of the gunship. At the same time, Sergei stared at the improbable feat, unable to believe his eyes.

"Impossible, how did she even—!" he stopped, realizing that the snowmobile was heading right for him. "No, no, no!" he rasped, but it was too late. With a spectacular crash, the snowmobile slammed into the cockpit, smashing through the canopy and obliterating the controls. Sergei threw himself out of the chopper at the last second, swearing like a true dwarf as he did so. Behind him, the UH-1 Iroquois and the snowmobile became one, colliding with such speed that their fuel tanks ruptured and caught fire, resulting in a massive explosion that tore both to shreds. Ammunition stores aboard the aircraft ignited a moment later, further adding to the destruction. Sergei was sent flying by the shock waves, spinning in the opposite direction of Holly, who was still in the air.

"That worked," she said as she watched the flaming wreck slam into the mountainside, its collision muffled by the snow.

The elf landed without any difficulty, her recon suit compensating for the height of the fall by reinforcing itself to absorb the impact. Foaly's nanotechnology was very useful, even though it was more ammo the centaur could use in his gloating.

Holly took in her surroundings, and headed back towards the crash site. She found Sergei stuck up to his legs in snow—head first. He was kicking madly, no doubt suffocating. With a powerful tug the elf yanked the dwarf free, allowing for him to breath.

The dwarf took a moment to catch his breath, but he quickly set his hateful eyes upon her. He reached for his sidearm, but before he could aim it, Holly shot it right out of his hands.

"Don't move, or the next one goes between your legs."

Sergei grimaced, just as any male would. "Who are you?"

Holly, both yearning to breathe fresh air as well as to make a lasting impression, took off her helmet. Setting her mismatched eyes upon him, she gave him the most dangerous stare in existence. "I'm Major Holly Short, and you're under arrest."

The dwarf recognized her instantly, the rage in his eyes doubling. "Not you again!"

Holly grinned. "I get that a lot."

"Well you're gonna get something else too!" Sergei screamed, procuring a boot-knife in the blink of an eye. He threw himself at her, intent on ending her life with the glinting edge of his weapon.

_They never learn. _Holly thought in that split-second moment. Sidestepping the dwarf, she grabbed his knife-wielding arm and twisted it, eliciting a sickening snap. At the same time, she stuck her Neutrino into his back, firing a single shot. Sergei was out in an instant, with a broken arm to boot. Looming over him, Holly waited until she was certain he was unconscious. She then holstered her weapon, shaking her head as she did so.

"What a loon."

**Thirty Minutes Later**

Evenings in the mountains were always a sight. The color of the sky as the sun began to near the horizon was truly spectacular, and the way it shined between the snowy peaks was even more so. Artemis sat before this brilliant scene, a frown on his face as Butler checked him over a million times for injuries. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate his friend's concern. There was just a limit to how much he could tolerate, especially when he detested being given special treatment over others.

"I'm perfectly well, old friend," he finally said. "Perhaps you should look over yourself."

Bulter ignored Artemis' protests, continuing his work in silence. He was the young man's guardian, and more importantly his friend. It was his duty to make sure he was safe. Artemis gave up after that, instead occupying himself with the view. It was an artist's dream.

Not too far off, Juliet Butler kept watch over Sergei's unconscious form, along with Mulch, who was enjoying how he could draw a mustache and monocle on his rival's face without any repercussions.

Detached from all of them, Holly short looked off into the mountains, where the sun was casting a perfect glow over the towering peaks. Using her helmet's comm link, she opened a channel to HQ. There was an immediate response.

"_Major, what's the situation?"_ Commander Kelp called, his voice measured in its tone but still evident in its concern.

"We've secured Mulch, and Sergei's gang is completely immobilized. I'll leave the clean-up to Retrieval One."

"_Good to hear, Major. And good work by the way. I certainly wouldn't be able to carry out a mission with Diggums breathing down my neck. Honestly, how do you do it?"_

Holly grinned despite herself. "Trade secret."

Trouble chuckled a little, but regained his composure quickly_. "Retrieval One is inbound, I've already marked the LZ. They'll take it from here."_

"Copy that," Holly replied.

The elf turned back to her comrades, taking off her helmet once more and letting the crisp air rush over her face. She passed Sergei, noting with particular amusement Mulch's work, and ended up by Artemis and Butler.

"I assume Retrieval One has finally gotten their act together," Artemis said knowingly. He rarely missed a thing.

"They're taking care of the mop-up operation," Holly replied, sitting down next to him. "All we have to do is hand over this idiot and we're done."

"Splendid," the young man said, glancing at his suit. Just like after every adventure, it was an irredeemable mess. However, he wasn't upset about it, much to his bemusement. On the contrary, he was in a very good mood, so much so that the cold didn't bother him. "It's good to be back," he said after a moment, the words a reflection his mood. He felt alive.

Seeing Artemis optimistic while wearing a travesty made Holly smile. She punched him on the shoulder, gently this time.

"You've got that right."

**Unknown Location**

"Some say that the will to be victorious is important, but the will to prepare is vital; that the secret to all victory lies within the management of the ambiguous. Such needlessly verbose sayings to describe a process that I have in spades."

A single light glowed in the suffocating gloom, its source the screen of a small laptop, upon which a myriad of processes ran. All of these were represented by a single bar, under which a single message blinked.

_~Consolidating files~_

Data, terabytes of data, flowed through the system, all coming together into a single compressed file; a virtual packet of binary code that could translate into anything under the stars. It was finished in a few moments, a speed uncharacteristic of such a small device. Everything stopped abruptly upon completion, and in the middle of the screen appeared a simple command prompt.

_~Execute?~_

That made the man seated before it smile at the irony. Just how many lives was he condemning, and how many more would be broken beyond repair? He had a number in his head, and he had never been wrong in his estimates before. Its magnitude was appalling, but it elicited no emotions within him. Lives were but numbers, just like the composition of the software at his fingertips.

He placed his right hand upon the mouse, hovering his index finger over the primary key. He hesitated, but only because he wanted to. He wanted to savor this moment, a grand crossroads between two potential paths in history. Which path the world took depended upon him, the world's fate waiting upon his will. He liked such control. He craved such certainty.

"This is the beginning of my _magnum opus_," he whispered. "My greatest creation. My masterpiece."

His finger gently rested on the button, still not pressing it. A faint smile tugged at his mouth.

"It is nigh time to realize its perfection."

_Click!_


	3. Eye in the Sky

**Over the English Channel**

The LEP shuttle cut through the blustery winds that moved above the English Channel, its sleek design and advanced avionics making it almost impervious to the omnipresent forces of nature. It was well into the night, and the sky was filled with towering cumulonimbus clouds, turning the open air into an ethereal mountain range. The shuttle flew through the clouds, disappearing into them at times, showing no worry for the gigantic bodies of suspended droplets of water, or for the flashes of lightening that lit up the areas below.

"What a boring flight," Holly murmured as she sat at the controls, completely unimpressed by the turbulent weather. She had flown through intense dogfights, evaded death by a hairsbreadth, and pulled off so many unauthorized flight actions that she didn't bother counting. Storms were monotonous.

She was flying the shuttle back to Ireland, where they would make a stop at Fowl Manor for some R&R. There was a lot of catching up to do with her friends, and HIGHCOM had given her a few days leave in light of the mission. Either they were impressed by her actions, or they were putting her on temporary leave in order to review them. She really didn't care, because at the end of the day she was an indispensable member of the LEP, and even if she wasn't she wouldn't give a troll's rear. She accomplished her mission, and had a blast doing so. That was gold-star material right there.

The interior of the shuttle was quiet at the moment. Butler was stoically cleaning his gun—a flight-time ritual it would seem—and Juliet was busy reading an issue of the_ International Kickboxer_. Mulch had already pillaged the onboard rations, and was now leafing through a small book that had been stashed in his beard, a book that he described as "A repository of things only known to Diggums". It was actually his to-steal list. Artemis was peering out one of the viewports, lost in thought as he usually was.

"Hey Artemis, what are you thinking?" Holly said over her shoulder, snapping him out of thought and no doubt scattering whatever complex arithmetic that had been taking place.

"The usual," he replied softly, still peering out the window, watching as electricity rippled through the clouds.

"Saving the world?"

"Something along those lines, but not that spectacular. Just hypothesis."

Holly grinned. "Would you like me to do some _flathatting_? It would certainly get the creative juices flowing." Flathatting was the widely used term for low-level flying and reckless stunting.

"If you think that skimming the English Channel while going supersonic qualifies as an intellectually stimulating action, then go ahead." He paused, a look of terror flashing across his face. "And I meant that sarcastically."

"Mr. Diggums doesn't approve either," Mulch interjected. "I am a VIP passenger after all. I deserve a soothing flight, with some marinated steak and drinks in gold chalices, which are complementary of course. But I know you aren't in the hospitality business, so I'll warn you that I just ate everything on this ship. You wouldn't want me to get gas, would you?"

Butler, who was sitting across from the dwarf, almost missed a beat in his cleaning. The man had been wary of the dwarf's gas ever since it had hit him in the face during the Fowl Manor Siege. Seeing his reaction, Holly decided to back off. She didn't need a gassing dwarf and a defensive man-mountain bouncing around the compartment.

"We're twenty minutes out," she said. "I suggest that all passengers—"

A signal came in over the shuttle's comm link, beeping softly upon the command console. Holly eyed the signal ID, seeing that it was directly from CINCLEP. She put it through without hesitation. There was a little static at first, no doubt the result of a very close lightning strike, followed by the voice of Commander Kelp.

_"Major Short," _he said immediately. _"What's the situation?"_

"Clear sailing, Commander," Holly replied, absentmindedly adjusting the shuttle's flight path. "We're not too far out of Ireland. We'll be dropping by Fowl Manor for a little bit, as you already know. Some R&R is always appreciated."

_"Indeed,"_ Trouble replied, the tenor in his voice indicating that he was about to say something bad.

Holly waited for it, a frown starting to form on her face.

_"Major, there's been a change of plans,"_ Trouble said regretfully. _"Your R&R will have to wait."_

_D'Arvit! _Holly thought. She didn't say so openly, however, as she could hear the tension in Trouble's voice. Something was up. "What is it?"

_"Something's come up, something big. The council is calling a meeting, and HIGHCOM wants you and Fowl present. They didn't tell me why, but whatever it is it's important enough to warrant the presence of all senior officers from all branches of our armed forces. Commander Ivankov and other HCIC members will also be present. It's a full summit, headed by Section 0."_

_Section 0?_ Holly furrowed her brows, wondering what was up. Section 0 was the shadiest branch of the People's security forces, far more covert than Section 8 ever was. It had been formed after the war, but not much was known about it apart from its secrecy. Many LEP officers called them the _spooks_, because they were about as elusive and reticent as spirits. To put it one way, they were the People's version of the CIA.

"Why are they keeping you in the dark? You're CINCLEP for Frond's sake."

_"Believe it or not, they have been given powers almost equal to my own, and those are the ones that are official. There are things that even I'm not privy to, and as you well know there __are bigger fish in the pond than I down here, official and unofficial.__" _There was a pause, the faint sound of conversation in the background. _"I am obligated to add that the existence of the meeting is classified, though I'm sure Artemis and a few others are listening in."_

"Hey Trubs!" Mulch called out from the back. "It's your favorite convict. Oh wait, make that _ex-_convict!"

Trouble sighed, but kept his composure. "_Anyway, I would suggest that you make your way directly to Terra. However, it would be reasonable to assume that you'd need to make a stop at Fowl Manor. Just be sure to file the report."_

"Thanks Trouble," Holly grinned.

_"And Holly?"_ Trouble said.

He'd used her first name. That made her worry. "Yes Trouble?"

_"Be careful."_

The signal went out after that, leaving Holly to mull over what she had heard. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes meeting Artemis'.

"What do you think?" she asked.

The young man had a knowing look in his eyes. "I think that there's going to be a lot of work for us in the coming days. No one calls a meeting of such magnitude without there being a critical issue at hand."

"Then let's be ready," Butler growled, finishing the reassembly of his Sig Sauer with a few metallic clicks. "We have faced trials many times before. This is no different." He unknowingly accentuated his point by inserting a loaded magazine into the gun, and chambering a round with a clank. He holstered the firearm without a word.

Holly frowned. "And here I thought I would get a vacation."

Artemis smiled at her. "Since when have we ever been the type to have holidays?"

"Never," the elf replied, unable to suppress a grin. It was absolutely true. For people like them there was always spontaneity, for that was how chaos worked. They were the ones who stopped such chaos; it was their specialty. That was fine when it interrupted the boring realities of her line of work, but sometimes it did get in the way of personal matters.

"I guess we're always on-call," she said.

The young genius smiled again. "Always."

Holly grinned as she went back to viewing the cloudy sky in front of the craft. Twenty minutes out? She could cut that down to five. Turning off autopilot, the elf grabbed hold of the controls, increasing the speed. As lightening lit up the clouded night sky, the LEP shuttle descended into the mists, its engines glowing hot.

**Lower Elements Police Headquarters, Haven**

Commander Trouble Kelp frowned as he walked through the command room, his thoughts continuously going over what little he knew about the matter at hand. He was CINCLEP, the Commander in Chief of the LEP, and yet he was in the dark. It made him uneasy, because he had never been in this situation before; being commanded by others when he himself was the commander. It brought him back to his days as an officer with Retrieval One, when he had been accustomed to only knowing that which HIGHCOM allowed him to. Back then it had been alright, but now was different. There had always been clandestine branches of the People's security forces—Section 8 for example—and they had always acted outside LEP jurisdiction. However, they had never headed a full summit, and neither had a full summit been called under such nebulous circumstances. But that's how the spooks were. They were always secretive.

_Let's just hope that this meeting will be worth the trouble._ The elf thought as he entered the ops booth.

Foaly was sitting in his usual spot, carrying out his usual work. However, when Trouble entered the room, he stopped.

"Hello Commander," Foaly said as he slowly turned his swivel chair to face him. The centaur's face, and the massive grin upon it, slowly came into view. He was holding a new picture of his daughter. "Come to see how lucky I am?"

Trouble made a face, but refrained from stepping upon Foaly's rightful pride. "Not at the moment, though I do extend my congratulations...again. I have something I need you to do for me."

"And that is?"

Commander Kelp stood by Foaly's main console, indicating towards the holographic screens. "I want you to keep an eye on Holly and Fowl. I know they can take care of themselves, but I can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen. Maybe it's just me."

Foaly nodded. "I hear you. It's that summit right? Trust me, I'm as annoyed as you are, mainly because Section 0 is the only entity below the earth that I don't have access to. They always go on about how their tech is better than mine. Hogwash! They certainly don't know what true genius is." He paused, letting his indignation subside. "But yes, it would be wise to watch over them. I'll be their guardian angel."

"Thanks Foaly, I don't know what I'd do without you."

The centaur grinned. "You'd still be using obsolete Koboi tech."

"Thanks for the reminder," Trouble deadpanned as he made his way to the door. "I'll leave you to it then. Let me know if anything happens."

"Will do. I'll keep you posted."

Foaly turned back to his console as the door closed, putting his fingers upon the obsolete keyboard he still favored over its virtual counterparts.

"Let's get to it, shall we?"

He was talking to his systems of course—they were his creations, and due to that he often used personification. Setting about his task, his fingers sped over the keys, bringing up command prompts and lines of code until he had what he wanted. He connected to one of the many LEP stealth satellites that orbited the Earth, and seamlessly assumed control of its positioning systems. Using the signal of Holly's shuttle, he adjusted the satellite's position until it was within range of Ireland. He subsequently magnified the view until he could see them perfectly, as if he was hovering a few meters above them.

"I see you," he grinned. He loved his job.

Holly had just landed within the Fowl Manor's courtyard, cloaking the shuttle long beforehand in order to be absolutely secure. They were in the process of entering the manor, and from his seat Foaly could even make out their expressions. They seemed to be in a good mood, and there were no threat indicators to be seen.

"I guess I'll just expand my scan radius," Foaly said.

He tapped into various human systems, all of which were supposed to be secured by 'state of the art' technology—that made him giggle. He ran diagnostics, searches, all of the usual tasks for sniffing out abnormalities, and after minding no red flags, he sighed. _All clear._

He switched to an orbital view, analyzing the positions of human satellites. That was when he noticed something odd.

"Hello, what do we have here?" he said, focusing in on the disturbance.

A low-orbit human surveillance satellite, one of the dozens operated by the United States' National Reconnaissance Office, had broken off from its usual activities. Usually this wouldn't be alarming, as the intelligence community within the United States always had a long list of targets to spy on, but this time it was a little odd. The satellite was altering its orbit, and after a quick calculation Foaly had its trajectory mapped out. It was on a direct course for Ireland, and its systems were calibrated to carry out meticulous surface imaging.

"What are you guys up to?" he said curiously, automatically running a few processes that would grant him access to its onboard computer. This one actually took a few seconds to breach, which was quite impressive, though it made no difference. Once in Foaly implanted a few bugs, which he then used to piggyback on the signal transmitting from the surface to the satellite. That took him to not only the NRO HQ in Chantilly, Virginia, but also to a dozen other intelligence agencies. DND, DRM, BND, GCHQ, and several others, all represented by significant member states of NATO, were either receiving or transmitting data. The fact that this was so could mean one of two things—either Ireland was irritating the coalition, or a specific person or group within the nation had grabbed their attention.

Foaly began to sweat, but he ignored the worries that nagged within his mind. "Tell me your secrets," he whispered as he delved further into their systems. He was almost upon the internal communications regarding the satellite's movements when, all of the sudden, his connection ceased entirely.

"What?" Foaly rasped, staring at the big "Connection Lost" message on his screen. It was impossible, and so with an enormous amount of resolve he tried to reconnect. He then got an even more disconcerting message.

_~Access Denied~_

Foaly felt a rush of surprise and indignation. "No, that can't be right. They can't do that!" he growled, floored by what had transpired. Never, not once in his entire career, had a human government locked him out. Only Artemis had that sort of skill. No one else had the knowledge, the technology, or the expertise to enable them to detect his snooping, let alone effectively block it! Not only was it beyond the realm of probability, it was also beyond the normal distribution of threats to his ego. He felt insulted, and because of this he pulled up his sleeves and activated several other terminals.

"That's it, the gloves are coming off!"

Foaly tapped into the central LEP supercomputer—a system that made even the most advanced human quantum computer look obsolete—and brought its immense processing power to his fingertips. At the same time, he used more computational power from his own systems, and added it to the applications he was directing, forming a virtual supercomputer that could carry out quattuordecillions of calculations a second. Foaly grinned as he targeted the human satellite, bringing it up on his screen in a red crosshairs just for the fun of it.

"I am going to enjoy this immensely."

With a few clicks and a flurry of typing, Foaly hacked not only the satellite, but the entirety of the human defense grid, while at the same time using the supercomputer to mask his presence. He zeroed in on the NRO, and after a valiant effort on their part, smashed through its security measures. From there it was just a matter of seeking out what he wanted to know, which only took him a few seconds. However, when he had found it, he literally froze in his seat. The satellite was targeting Fowl Manor, and the primary name to come up on intelligence communications was Artemis Fowl the Second.

"Oh boy, that can't be good," Foaly deadpanned, calling up Trouble on his communicator.

_"Found something already?"_ The Commander said immediately.

"Not only that," Foaly rasped, eying the readouts on his screen. "I believe someone else found something too."

**Fowl Manor, Ireland**

It was a clear night in the Irish countryside, the storm having blown past with a speed that matched its ferocity. The moon now shined through the windows, its pale light reflecting off of the drenched landscape and making water droplets little stars upon the earth to match those in the sky.

It was a tranquil night, but inside the Fowl Manor, it was anything but. Butler had prepared a late dinner, and as a consequence Mulch Diggums had not only eaten his serving, but emptied the fridge and half of the cellar. Needless to say, Butler had no other choice but to threaten the dwarf with a straight razor—shaving a dwarf was ten times worse than waterboarding, as they took immense pride in their beards. Mulch became an adequate guest after that. As for everyone else, it was a perfect chance to talk. About what? Anything. In the ever accelerating world, they had little time to do even that.

"They're a handful, I can tell you that much," Artemis grinned, talking about his younger brothers as he sat in the lounge with Holly. "You should have seen it when they hijacked an ice cream truck. They used an RC toy controller and a few spare parts to make it entirely remote controlled. They were quite pleased with themselves, at least until the police showed up and confiscated everything. I dealt with the authorities, so Myles and Beckett got off fine. If anything it was an educational experience for them."

"Yeah. Don't go using you intellect for ice cream heists," Holly remarked with a smile. "I can only imagine what sort of mischief they'll be getting into when they reach the age you were when we first met."

"Indeed," Artemis nodded, remembering his past self for a moment, and instantly regretting it. "They won't be as I was then, I can assure you that," he said firmly.

Holly could see the emotions behind his impassive façade, but she didn't speak of them. Instead, she laughed, wanting nothing more than to ease their worries, even for just a moment. "Good to hear. The LEP doesn't have enough ransom gold left to deal with that again."

Artemis laughed despite himself. "No, they certainly don't."

They switched subjects after that, but before they could get into any depth, the lounge door opened silently.

"Hello Butler," Artemis said without even looking. "Is Mulch behaving? Or do Holly and I have to _entice_ him to use manners?"

"Surprisingly yes," the bodyguard rumbled, a look of great concern on his face.

Artemis noticed this, and sat up a little. "I assume there's something curious afoot."

"Indeed," the man nodded, gesturing towards the window. "We have company."

"At this hour?" Holly said suspiciously, her eyes narrowing a little.

It was 12:13AM, and after checking his watch Artemis frowned a little. It was long past the polite time to knock on someone's door. Clearly whoever it was either had no care for politeness, or perhaps their purpose for being there outweighed cordiality. Artemis assumed it to be both.

"Then let's give them a proper greeting, shall we?" he said to his guardian.

"Are you sure that's wise? In my opinion this is quite sketchy," Holly said flatly.

Artemis turned to her. "Don't worry, I'm a professional."

The elf was about to say something more when her communicator beeped, indicating an incoming transmission. It seemed urgent, as Holly immediately dropped her protests. "I'll take this. Just be careful."

Artemis nodded, and followed Butler into the hall. As they progressed through the art-lined corridor, the bodyguard went over the details.

"A single Mercedes, black of course. The perimeter cameras picked it up, and it should be here in a minute. Should I lock the outer gate?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Artemis replied. "I am very curious as to their intentions. Nothing is accomplished through delaying the inevitable. And regardless, it's nothing we can't handle." He was surprisingly relaxed; it must have been the wine he had had with dinner.

"Even still," Butler began, "I had Juliet take up a position in the tower. An added precaution."

"Excellent."

By now they were in the anteroom. They reached the large set of heavy wooden doors that guarded the entrance to the manor, and out of luck or impeccable timing it was precisely when a knock came from the other side. Artemis made sure his Armani suit was in proper order—a unnecessary action—and then gave Butler a look. His bodyguard was listening to Juliet through his earpiece, waiting on her to confirm that it was clear.

"Four men, concealed firearms but no apparent intent, " he said after a moment. "Juliet will drop them if they try anything."

"Then let's say hello."

Artemis waited for them to knock a few more times, just because, and then opened the door a crack.

"May I help you?"

The men on the other side were typically unnerving. Black suits, black overcoats, and a look in their eyes that could only be attained through the right conditioning. Nevertheless, the foremost of them smiled warmly, not even blinking at the sight of the massive bodyguard looming behind the boy. The others stood a few meters behind, completely still.

"Good evening Mr. Fowl, I'm sorry to disturb you at this hour."

Artemis could tell immediately that the man was being insincere. "Clearly you're not sorry enough," he replied placidly, throwing on his terribly aloof genius routine. "Firstly, it is almost twelve-thirty in the morning, and thus greeting me with a _good evening_ is entirely incorrect. Secondly, you should show at least a little respect and call me by my title, Dr. Fowl, given that you failed to recall that I have more PhDs than you have figures in your salary. And thirdly, and related to the first, it is far too early in the morning to be paying visits in your rented Mercedes. Trust me, I can tell you've only just started to get used to that terrible sort of air-freshener they put in with your purchase."

The man blinked, but apart from that showed no reaction to what would usually destroy one's composure. That told Artemis a lot right away.

"Well, now that you've introduced yourself, allow me to do the same," the man stated. "My name is Jonathan Cromwell, and I would like to ask you a few questions."

"What sort of questions? There are so many you could ask a man, try to be specific."

"Once you let us in, I will be happy to answer that. It is quite damp out, and we have come a long way."

Artemis felt a rush of indignation. Truly this man had no manners, nor any appreciation for the man-mountain that was on the verge of drop-kicking him out of the courtyard and over an imaginary rainbow. However, he also felt wary. He knew how the law worked, and he knew what sort of person this was. In fact, he had already made a deduction with regard to his employer. Keeping the door half closed, Artemis stared into his eyes with a chilling expression.

"Tell me, Mr. Cromwell, or should I say _Agent_ Cromwell, since when has it been in the MI5 rulebook to conduct such terrible introductions, accompanied by such terrible wardrobe? Yes, I know who you are. I can tell by the way you carry yourself, and by that obvious wire you have hidden under your suit, not to mention the sidearm you have poorly concealed in a shoulder holster on your right side. Left hand dominant I presume. You're not fooling anyone."

It took a moment for the man to respond. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said innocently.

That moment of indecision confirmed Artemis' suspicions; they were definitely working for some sort of intelligence agency. What on earth were they doing here? Why were they interested in him? He'd have time to consider that later. For now he had to get rid of the quartette of vexations that stood on his doorstep.

"Well then, allow me to retort," Artemis began coldly. "I have a doctorate in psychology for a reason. No amount of training can hide the fact that you are lying. So you are MI5, or some related intelligence service, but clearly not one from around here, as otherwise you would have known to not bother me at this hour. What are you doing here in Ireland, a sovereign nation? Do you have clearance, any invitation at all? That look in your eyes tells me no. Yes, I know that too. I know a lot of your practices; I memorized most of them along with international law, neither of which I believe you recount very well. So, in lieu of you admitting it, I state that you have no official jurisdiction here, which makes me wonder why you've come all this way to pick my brains when you have no right to do so. Do you at least have a warrant, or did you drop the metaphorical ball on that one too?"

The man actually looked a little upset. "No I have not."

"Then this conversation is over. Good day to you sir."

Artemis let Butler slam the door shut in the agent's face, grinning despite himself at the astonished look he had seen in the man's eyes. Truly he was a professional at tearing other professionals apart, an artist of psychological torment. He and Butler waited in silence until they saw the car drive off into the night, all four of the shady men having left with it. They would be back, he was certain about that.

"Bulter," Artemis said as he turned away from the window, "I need you to call my parents. They are likely in danger."

The man nodded, a serious look in his eyes. "I will have them moved to a safehouse immediately."

"And be sure to tell mother that we'll be fine, you know how she worries."

"Of course."

Bulter left to carry out his task, leaving Artemis alone in the corridor. He started back towards the lounge having already decided that he would tell Holly. Just what was going on? What did they know? There were really only two options. The most probable was that his criminal past had finally caught up to him, the actions of both himself and his father in the criminal underworld now in the open before the eyes of the authorities. It was a terrible thing to consider, for he had left such practices behind, and thus knew himself to be relatively benign. But it was also the most acceptable possibility, for the other was far too terrible to consider.

He reached the lounge door, and as he opened it Holly tried to do so from the other side, causing for them to bump into each other.

"Sorry," Artemis said automatically, but he quickly realized that Holly didn't care. She looked terribly worried. "What is it?"

"Something's wrong," she said, stepping back a bit to glance out the window. "I just got off the line with Trouble. We have to leave."

"Does this have something to do with the agents I just spoke with?"

"More than that," she replied. "An NRO surveillance satellite has been repositioned to target Fowl Manor. Moreover, they are primarily interested in you. We don't know why, Foaly could only glean that much before they cut off their communications, but what we do know is that there are a lot of powerful agencies trying to spy on you, and that is a great cause for concern."

Artemis felt his pulse increase; it was hard not to feel a bit of anxiety with some of the world's most powerful intelligence agencies moving satellites to track you. He absentmindedly adjusted his collar, thinking intensely.

"You think it's related to the People, don't you?"

Holly nodded. "I hope that that's not so, but we must consider it as a likelihood. We can never be too careful."

"I know," Artemis said, sighing despite himself. He couldn't stop thinking about the implications of all of this. They were not very pleasant. Nevertheless, he composed himself almost immediately, setting his gaze upon the old grandfather clock that stood nearby. "The day has only just started, and we're already in a crisis."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"But the circumstance would be."

The door opened behind them, and Butler appeared through it. "I just got off the line with your father. They should be en route to Panama as we speak."

"That's one worry taken care of," Artemis murmured to himself. "Is there anything on the perimeter? Are we alone?"

"For now," Butler rumbled. "However, you can expect them to be back in force. I know a few people in that business, and they don't mess around."

Artemis looked at Holly. "Then we have no choice but to heed your suggestion, Major."

They got their things together in a short amount of time, packing only what they needed—for Artemis that meant several suits, a back-up of all his work and research, and a few other personal affects. Juliet went to collect Mulch, who was no doubt snooping around for something priceless, while everyone else gathered at the front door. Artemis regarded Holly as she put on her helmet.

"If they have a real-time view of the manor, it would be quite foolish for us to try and escape via the shuttle. Only you can shield, and that would have the rest of us apparently disappearing into thin air. Not a very subtle exit."

"Don't worry," Holly said firmly. "Foaly will make sure that there is no satellite to monitor us."

Artemis was immediately intrigued. "How will he do that?"

The elf winked. "Let's just say it would be a terrible inconvenience for the NRO if some space debris knocked their satellite out of orbit."

"Simply exquisite," Artemis replied.

Miles below them, sitting in his custom chair, Foaly grinned. _Exquisite indeed._ The centaur had his eyes on his main screen, which was a condensed representation of the lower orbit. He had already had a few stealth drones nudge a chunk of debris into the perfect position, and now all he had to do was wait for its orbit to cross with that of the satellite.

"Come on," he said as he watched the debris close in, represented by a virtual golf ball. A few seconds passed, and then it struck, eliciting a triumphant beep from the system. Foaly threw his arms up. "Hole in one! That was all me!"

Back at Fowl Manor, Artemis peered out the front window. He smiled devilishly when he saw a streak of light cross the sky. It wasn't a shooting star—it was a satellite now reduced to a disintegrating wreck, a brilliant combustion of millions of taxpayer dollars. It was beautiful.

"We're clear," Holly said behind him, having just received word from Foaly. "Let's go."

The five of them left the manor a moment later, leaving the old building bereft of life as they piled into the LEP shuttle. As they took off, the last of the manor's lights went out, all of its systems having shut down for hibernation. Artemis watched as the place of his upbringing disappeared into the distance, fading into the night. He didn't want to say it aloud, but he had a feeling that he wouldn't be home for a long time. He just hoped that it would be there when he returned.

"So what happens now?" Juliet asked as everyone else sat in silence.

"There's only one thing we can do," Holly said from the pilot's seat. "The summit is in less than fifteen hours, and I am willing to bet that it is related to what's happening here. Section 0 may be a pain in the arse to deal with, but they know a lot of things before anyone else does. They will certainly know about this, and I will have answers, even if I have to rip it out of them." She seemed annoyed; no doubt a result of the stress of the looming possibilities. "I will have the truth."

_The truth._ Artemis took his eyes away from the viewport, having long lost sight of the manor. _"Time discovers truth,"_ he whispered softly, and only to himself.

"Did you say something Artemis?" Butler said, sitting across from him.

"Oh, nothing," Artemis replied, still thinking, "Just an old saying."

**Author's Note**

**I hope that anyone who is reading this is enjoying it so far, because that's the whole point of its existence. I would appreciate any feedback you may have, because so far it seems as though not many people are interested in this continuation of my previous story (though I appreciate those who are). Maybe it's just me, but I'm concerned that my work isn't meeting expectations. Regardless, I will keep on writing. In fact, I've already finished nine chapters (I just try to space their release out a little).  
**

**All the best,**

**John Creel**


	4. Family Ties

**Southeast of San Felix, Panama**

The tropical morning was breathtaking, the air warm and filled with the fresh scent of the Pacific Ocean and the sound of its presence. Lush groves of palm trees met the pristine beaches of tranquil inlets, and beyond stretched the deep blue expanse of the ocean, disappearing into the horizon as lazy clouds hung above it like giant balls of cotton. It was a tourist's paradise, a place that many ventured to in order to postpone the difficulties of life. But all seemingly luxurious places had their secrets, and Panama had more than most. After all, it was the perfect place to disappear; an outlaw's retreat; a paradise for the hunted.

A convoy of five blacked-out SUVs cut through the tropical paradise, driving south along route 5, which ran parallel to the Pacific. The _Isla La Procada_ was visible to the right, where mangroves dotted the edges of the inlet, their exposed roots jutting into the shallow waters like legs. The convoy was traveling at a moderate speed, indicating a balance between urgency and restraint. In the middle vehicle, dressed like mafia on vacation, was the rest of the Fowl Family.

"Such a lavish view," Angeline said softly, always one to enjoy the beauty of nature. She sat in the middle row, ensconced in the soft seats that their private security afforded. Artemis Fowl Senior sat in the front passenger seat, while his trusted friend, who happened to run a private security firm, drove the vehicle.

"You are right, my love," Artemis Senior said to his wife, absentmindedly adjusting his prosthetic leg. "Building a safehouse here was a good choice. A place of refuge for the family should be as comfortable as possible, for one never knows how long they will have to lay low."

Angeline frowned. "I just hope Arty is alright. I know he can take care of himself, and the Butlers are the best protectors he could ever have, but I do worry. We don't even know what the danger is for heaven's sake."

"Don't worry," her husband said softly, looking back to her with a warm expression, "We will get through this. We always do." He waited until Angeline smiled in return, and then patted the driver on the shoulder. "Isn't that right Gordon? I've known you for years, you can vouch for that. Your guys are the best money can buy!"

"Implying that you paid for our services," Gordon grinned, keeping his eye on the road. "I owed you a favor, not moral support. Keep me out of your attempts to assuage Angeline's rightful motherly concern." Gordon was a burly man in his late forties, with tanned skin and a not a hair on his head. He also had an infectious smile, which was one of the reasons Artemis Senior had called him up to be their security for the family trip to Disneyland. Needless to say, one had to work hard, and play harder. There had been times in the distant past, times when the Fowl Empire had still been dominating the criminal underworld, when Artemis Senior had contracted this man; those times had been a lot different.

"How are the two scientists doing back there?" Artemis Senior called out.

Myles and Beckett, being as radically productive as they were, took a few seconds to reply.

"We're making progress in the speriment," Myles replied. "We should have a prototype done by snack time."

"No, not that soon. Look at it!" Beckett stated flatly. "It's not even beeping yet!"

"Stop being such a simple-toon."

Beckett didn't object.

"They seem to be doing fine," Angeline smiled, her two beautiful boys making her temporarily forget the looming questions that plagued her mind. She enjoyed seeing them happy, and that had been much at the expense of Disneyland; they had caused so much trouble it was a wonder they didn't get booked for terrorism. Such a fun trip had been cut short by Butler's warning, but such was not an uncommon occurrence. They were the Fowls, and as a result they lived very interesting lives. They even dealt with fairies. Who got to say that very often?

They had departed from Florida earlier in the morning, landing at the Enrique Malek International Airport in David a few hours later. After getting their convoy set up, they had departed south where, somewhere off the maps, their refuge waited. They were currently an hour or so away from their destination, but it felt like a lot longer. It was those worries again, nagging at the back of her mind. She knew that Artemis was the most capable and intelligent person alive, and she knew that his friends, especially the Butlers and Holly, would keep him safe. But despite this voice of reason she couldn't shake her concerns. She loved him too much.

_Be safe Arty. Please be safe._

At the front of the SUV, Gordon activated his earpiece. "Units one and two, what's your status?"

_"All clear sir,"_ they replied immediately. _"We've been monitoring local radio chatter. Nothing out of the ordinary."_

"How about three and four?"

_"Same story sir, smooth sailing."_

"Good," Gordon said, glancing at the man next to him. "All is well, my friend. You'll be sitting on the beach and enjoying piña coladas in no time."

"That's what I like to hear!" Artemis Senior said optimistically. Truly he was a changed man, so different from what he had been before the Arctic Incident. Back then he had been the cold, business-oriented head of the Fowl Empire, gruff and bereft of sympathy. But he had changed so much, and as Angeline observed him from her seat, she smiled. He was now the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago. No longer was he the _thing_ the criminal business had forced him to be; he was now a legitimate businessman, and an optimistic, joking, and loving father. She had Artemis and his fairy friends to thank for that. She had a lot to thank them for. Still smiling, she looked out the tinted window, watching as the sun's rays danced off of the brilliantly blue sea.

* * *

Far ahead of the convoy, situated at a bend in the road, a man smiled. "That's right, feel safe, feel secure. It makes my work so much easier." He put down the device he had been using to monitor the speech within the approaching SUV—technology courtesy of his employer—and turned to the gathering of men who were waiting in the concealment of the forest. They were all dressed in multicam fatigues, with balaclavas concealing their faces. All of them were well armed, and there was absolutely no fear or worry in their eyes. It would only take a glance for someone to realize that these men were professionals.

"The package is inbound, ETA four minutes," their leader said smoothly. "Our target is in the middle car. Waste the others. Remember, he wants this to be a smooth as possible, and I hate to botch a job. I hope we're all clear about that, because I'll personally _deface_ whoever screws this up!"

None of the masked men argued—more than a few even grinned, as if death and danger was something they danced with on a regular basis. They silently took up positions along either side of the road, spreading out so that there were twenty-five men distributed evenly across the fifty meter stretch of road. Once they were in position, the leader gave a few hand signals to the rocket team on the other side of the road, who had shouldered their AT4s and were waiting patiently. The wiry man then crouched down in the brush, setting his gun—a Heckler & Koch G36C—on the ground beside him as he took out his own mask. Before he put it on he checked himself with the pocket mirror he kept on hand. After tweaking his hair just a little, he pulled on his balaclava, thereby ruining the adjustment he had just made. It would seem odd to others, but it was a habit of his. The SUVs came into sight a few moments later, the sound of their engines clear in the tropical air.

"Time to get to work," he said to himself. "I'm certainly going to enjoy this."

Bringing his assault rifle to bear, he pulled the charging handle and released it, chambering a round and making ready the next twenty-nine. He wouldn't need all of them, but he intended to use them anyway. To him there was no such thing as overkill.

* * *

For those sitting in the SUVs there was no way to see what was waiting for them ahead. The convoy drove past the first few groups of armed men without incident, but that was by no means coincidental. When they were halfway through the bend, where they had to slow down significantly, the attack was sprung.

The first think Angeline saw was a flash in front of them, followed by a resounding explosion that pierced her ears even from inside the armored SUV. The foremost vehicle in the convoy went up in flames, hit right in the side by an RPG. As its flaming wreck rolled to the side, the second vehicle was given the same treatment, resulting in it being torn in half.

"Holy shit!" Gordon rasped, slamming on the brakes. The road ahead of them was now a wall of fire and debris. He instinctively tried to reverse, but was stopped as the tires of the vehicle were literally blown off by several precise shots from a high-powered rifle. At the same time another explosion erupted behind them, signifying the destruction of another one of their escorts.

"What's going on?" Myles screamed from the back, afraid.

"Get down sweetheart, everything will be alright," Angeline said soothingly, grabbing both him and Beckett and covering them with herself. She was scared to death, but she did her best not to show that to the boys. She had to be strong for them.

As Angeline did this, Artemis Senior looked to his friend, his eyes showing both dismay and calculating anger. "What are we to do?"

"Units one, two, and four are down! We're boxed in!" Gordon growled, procuring a compact assault rifle from a compartment in the driver-side door. "I'll have unit three join me in securing the area. Do not leave this vehicle until I say so, are we clear?"

"Absolutely."

"Then stay safe, my friend."

Gordon opened the door, got out, and quickly shut it again. Artemis Senior watched him go, but was immediately forced to duck down as a truly appalling volume of gunfire erupted from all directions. Thuds could be heard as bullets struck the armored vehicle, and the screams of men could be heard outside, muffled but no less terrifying. He heard his wife and kids crying as the gunfire went on, an endless storm of death and destruction. But then, all of the sudden, it stopped, leaving them in a truly terrible silence.

Artemis Senior slowly sat looked up, his eyes darting about to check on his family first. They were alive, but stricken.

"Myles, Beckett, Angeline," he said softly, "Are you alright?"

He didn't get an answer in time, as the side door was thrown open and a pair of hands grabbed him by the collar of his suit. He was forcibly removed from the vehicle, helpless as his wife screamed for him, and thrown to the ground a few meters in front of it. His vision blurred as a result of hitting his head on the hard surface of the road, but adrenaline cleared it almost instantly. A part of him wished he hadn't cleared his head. Bodies littered the road, all of them belonging to his security detail.

"Oh god," he croaked, seeing Gordon's twisted corpse a few feet from his eyes, perforated by dozens of shots and bleeding all over the road. He would never forget the haunting look on the man's face. As his attackers closed in around him, he silently apologized to his friend, who had done nothing to deserve such an end.

"Well, imagine that," a heartless voice said to his right. "A _gimp_ at the head of the family. I'd laugh if it wasn't so pathetic."

Artemis Senior saw a pair of black shoes step into view, followed by several others. He could hear his family as they too were hauled from the car; his wife's frantic voice as she was separated from her beloved sons, and their resulting cries of fear. "Please, leave my family alone," he said, looking up at the masked man. "If it's money you want, I've got it. If it's me you want, then take me. But please, don't harm them. They've done nothing to deserve any of this!"

The masked man grinned, handing his smoking assault rifle to one of his colleagues. "Sorry pops, but I'm not here for you money. I make more than enough as it is." He knelt down, tapping Artemis Senior's prosthetic leg. "Now let me tell you something. I'm a reasonable man, unless you cross me, and the bullshit you're spouting is definitely getting there. So if you want to keep your other leg, please shut up."

"What do you want?" Artemis Senior rasped with a glare, unwilling to cower before his assailant.

The masked man smiled. "It's not what I want. It's what my employer wants. And what my employer wants is you, your wife, and those two little gnats you made together. In fact, that's the only reason I'm not going to kill you right now." He gave him one last look before waltzing off to intimidate the rest of his family.

_I have to alert Domovoi! _Artemis Senior thought, keeping his face contorted with fear so that his assailants wouldn't suspect him of anything. In reality he was angry—so very angry—and his mind was calculating with great speed. The truth was that he had been through events like this before. The sinking of the Fowl Star, and his subsequent imprisonment by the Russian Mafia, had been like this, all except for one thing: his family hadn't been involved. That made it terrifying for him, both as a husband and a father. That was why he needed to get help, for on his own he could do nothing but acquiesce, or otherwise risk having his family hurt. As he lay on the ground, he reached into his pocket and procured his cellphone. He knew exactly which buttons to press without even seeing them, and in no time he was connecting with Butler. He didn't have to speak—even a wordless call would cause his trusted bodyguard to respond. Nevertheless, knowing that there was no point in not trying, he slowly put it to his ear. It began to ring, and after a few short seconds an answer came through.

"Domovoi!" Artemis Senior whispered, trying not to alert the men around him. The voice that replied was terribly familiar, and anything but Butler's.

_"What did I tell you about crossing me?"_

The next thing Artemis Senior knew he was being kicked in the side, the solid tip of a shoe digging into his ribs. It hurt far more than he would have thought possible, and the force rolled him over. He gagged, but managed to keep himself from crying out in pain. He looked up at his attacker. That man was looming over him again, sneering.

"Go on, try it again. Call for help," he said, tapping his own phone. "You'll find that nothing works, not even those fancy distress signals you have in your vehicles. It's obsolete technology. Trinkets for wannabes."

Artemis Senior winced—he had a few broken ribs for sure—and glared at the man. "Who are you working for?"

"You're hardly in the position to ask questions," the man retorted, kneeling down to speak face-to-face. "But I will tell you this. The people I work for, they will turn this world upside down. I don't really care, because they promised me something I want more than anything. Call it the fruition of a personal vendetta. But you, I'm sure you'd crap yourself if you heard _his_ plans." He grinned when he noticed Artemis Senior's confused expression. "Don't worry your rich little head about it, you're safe for now. But know that no one, not even that annoying kid of yours, will ever find you. In fact, you'll likely outlive him. That kid is too smart for his own good."

The masked man stood up fully, motioning to his men. "We're dusting off in five. I don't want to be around here when the PPF shows up."

Two of the men grabbed hold of Artemis Senior and hauled him to his feet, and from there they dragged him from the road and into the palm forest. The stifling heat and humidity had him sweating in no time, but that was the least of his worries. He could hear his wife and boys as they too were moved against their will, but there was nothing he could do. All he could think of was how he had let them down.

_Forgive me._

The four of them were hauled through the woods until they reached a sizable clearing, where three black NH90 helicopters were already powering up. The resulting wind buffeted against them as they were unceremoniously forced into one of them, where they were gagged, and then cuffed to their seats.

"Sit tight, you rich snobs," the leader said from the co-pilot's seat in front of them. "No amount of money can save you now."

The three unmarked helicopters took to the sky, flying East towards the rising sun. As they flew low over the lush palm forests and grassy fields, the leader of the group pulled off his balaclava, far too annoyed with it to let it remain there any longer. Using his mirror again, he meticulously adjusted his hair, which was black and spiked. Once done, he retrieved his communicator from his pocket and dialed a number. It only rung once.

_"I assume that the mission is complete?"_ a cool voice said immediately.

"It was too easy. You'd swear those Fowls never heard of an ambush before. We had their security detail eliminated so there are no witnesses apart from the targets themselves."

_"Are any of them spoiled?"_

The man could see the four of them squirming in their seats in his peripheral vision. "That's a no," he stated. "Scared out of their minds, but perfectly alive."

_"Good. First impressions are important. I'll leave you and your team to deliver the package. You will all be rewarded for your hard work."_

"Remember, I'm not doing this for the money," the man said coldly, his eyes narrowing.

_"I know. I have not forgotten your goal, so don't worry. I'm a man of my word. I will ensure that you have the opportunity to fulfill it."_

The line went dead after that. Putting the communicator away, the man looked out the window to view the vermillion sky. His eyes glinted with a restrained madness.

"I'll hold you to it."

**Author's Note**:

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was a bit short by comparison to most, but I didn't want to bloat it up with added material. Anyway, be sure to review and provide whatever feedback you may have. And as always, happy reading!**

**John Creel**


	5. The Morrigan Protocol

**Police Plaza, Haven  
**

Haven was as bustling and noisy as it always was; a metaphorical cauldron of vibrancy and high-technology. The streets were filled with life as civilians went about their daily routines, and for the fifth time in two months the traffic was a total mess due to a sweartoad herd, thereby resulting in volumes of profanity not only on the part of the sweartoads, but the commuters as well. All of this was characteristic of the largest metropolis in fairy society, which happened to be the cradle of their subterranean civilization, dating back to The Battle of Taillte.

The Police Plaza, on the other hand, was not characteristic at all. Usually it was clean, organized, and bereft of crowds. Today it was a total zoo. Dozens of shuttles were landing in and around the square, which was jammed with high-ranking personnel from all corners of the lower elements.

At the far end of the plaza, pressing their way through the throngs of onlookers, was a curious foursome. Artemis, Holly, and the two Butlers stood out like a sore thumb, though it could have been much worse had a certain dwarf accompanied them. Thankfully Mulch hadn't come, for quite obvious reasons. Of course, all that could really be seen was _the_ Butler, who was literally ramming a straight path through the crowd. No one dared get in his way, much like no one would dare get in the way of a speeding snowplough. It was quite comedic, as with but a glare the man parted the sea of fancy uniforms.

"They weren't lying when they said that this would be a full summit," Holly grumbled, crisply adjusting the golden acorns on her dress uniform's lapel. "So many big shots, so little space to breathe. I can already smell the bureaucracy."

"Don't fret about it Major, the majority of them are about as replaceable as a ballpoint pen," Artemis said formally as he walked beside her, dressed in his finest suit—he was in a professional mood. "Should you feel the need to physically assault one of them, I'd be happy to be your attorney. You'd be amazed what I can do with a fairy law book."

Holly grinned despite herself. "Tempting, but I'll pass. There are more important things right now than sating my fist, like figuring out what the hell is going on."

Artemis smiled a little. "Spoken like a true Major."

They made their way to the entrance, which was a complete architectural disaster. Being designed only for normal traffic, the door was undersized for the crowds, which was funny given that most felt entitled to go in first. High ranks brought very high self-opinions, and in this case, very high tempers. Naturally, such changed the moment Butler came into view, and so Artemis et al were in without even having to slow down. How Butler fit through was just another mystery without answer.

They received many looks as they made their way through the corridors. Though many had gotten used to Fowl, most still couldn't keep themselves from regarding him, the human who had saved the People on multiple occasions. There were mixed emotions, ranging from positive to negative, but the general correlation was in favor of the former.

It was not long until they were met by Commander Kelp, who had apparently been waiting for them. He appeared in front of them as they were about to head into the summit itself. As per the requirements of the event he had donned his full dress uniform. With his attire worn with precise attention to detail, even the angle of the acorns of his lapel, it was clear that he was taking the matter of formality seriously, or at least more so than Holly.

"Major, I see you managed to get inside. I have to say, it is a complete mess out there," he said, greeting Holly first.

"We do have a human troll, so it wasn't that difficult," she replied, snapping a salute.

Trouble nodded, and then set his eyes on Artemis. "Fowl, it's been a while."

"Likewise, Commander," Artemis replied, eying Commander Kelp with unblinking eyes.

There was a long moment as they looked at each other, but Trouble didn't drag it on. He actually smiled a little. "It's good to have you with us. I have a feeling we'll need you."

Artemis smiled in return. "Naturally."

Trouble had long since left behind his resentment towards Artemis. After all that had happened during Opal's return, he had grown to respect the boy, even like him, and that was saying something. Needless to say, a lot had changed, and it was change for the better.

After greeting the Butlers, Trouble led them into the conference room. The council chamber was far too small to accommodate the number of officers attending the summit, so the larger briefing room had been repurposed to fit the bill. At first glance its arrangement resembled the United Nations General Assembly, but it differed a lot in terms of the technology, such as the massive holographic projector that loomed before the audience. It was blank at the moment, but there was no doubting that it would be displaying something important later.

"We've got front row seats. A perk of being the host of this event," Trouble noted as they descended the steps towards the front. "So behave, and I'm talking to you Holly. All dislikes for bureaucracy aside, I'd like this to go a smoothly as possible. There are a lot of powerful people attending this summit."

"I'll keep that in mind," Holly lied. She would certainly speak her mind, for what was the purpose of such a forum otherwise? She'd sooner flip-off the People's Attorney General than refrain from asking _pertinent_ questions.

About three-fourths of the way down they passed the HCIC delegation, which included Commander Ivankov and several of his officers. The man waved at them as they passed by, smiling sincerely. But there was a look in his eyes—a terribly worried look—and the moment they passed he went back to reading something on his datapad, his brows furrowed with seriousness. Clearly whatever it was that was going on, he had an idea, and he clearly didn't like it.

Artemis frowned as he neared the bottom, still wondering about the purpose of the meeting, and further spurred in his cognition by the obvious tension in the faces of those he passed. With his intellect it was hard not to come to a detailed conclusion, and such actually made him feel uneasy; the conclusion was the worst kind. Even though it was just speculation at this point, it served as a looming possibility that was both significant in its probability and dreadful its severity. Only time would tell; time he frankly didn't like having to wait on.

They took a seat in the front row, though for Butler it was more like four seats. The holographic projection glowed a soft blue above them, and as the room filled up, Commander Kelp gave a few parting words.

"We'll be underway in a moment. Now if you'll excuse me, I must do the introductions."

As Trouble went up to the podium, Holly nudged Artemis. "I hope this is just a waste of time," she said.

Artemis' intense expression didn't change. "Me too."

A few moments later the lights dimmed, and with all of the officers already seated, the room went quiet. Trouble stood at the podium, eying the crowd for a few seconds before beginning.

"Good morning, fellow officers and representatives of the People's security forces, as well as distinguished guests," he nodded to the few humans who were present. "It is my honor to host this event, and to have you all here this day. I know that this summit was called on very short notice, and I am certain all of you desire answers, as you should be. I assure you that they will come shortly, but not from me. This summit was called by the council at the request of Section 0, and therefore I will relinquish the podium to the Commander in Chief of Section 0, an exemplary officer and even greater colleague, Torin Carnunnos."

The congregation of officers made the generally expected applause, and as Trouble stepped off the podium, Commander Carnunnos stepped out of the gloom and into view. He was an elf in his middle years, but he looked much younger. Tall and well built—by fairy standards—he was an elf that many would be jealous of. His impressive physique was complemented by handsome features and near-perfect blond hair, with startling blue eyes and an air of such confidence that he seemed impossible to doubt. Taking to the stage in his meticulously ordered uniform, he would have made many female elves blush. Holly, on the other hand, couldn't help but snort.

"Narcissistic showoff, always has been," she muttered to Artemis.

Artemis only nodded.

"Good morning, my friends," Torin said, his voice measured and deep. "As you all know, I am the one who is responsible for calling this summit. Such a gathering of distinguished officers has not been done since the war, which is already over a year in the past, and before that it had rarely been done, not since the times of the Great War. Therefore, you must be wondering what matter is of such importance to warrant a gathering of this magnitude." His expression changed into one of dead seriousness. "I can assure you, it is one that will define the future of this world."

Artemis listened intently, but he was already getting annoyed. He wanted it said, plain and simple. There was no need for such a drawn-out exposition, nor was there time. If it was what he thought it was, time was of the essence. Torin didn't seen to think the same way.

"But before we go any further, I would like to take you back to the inception of our subterranean civilization, the time when—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Commander Carnunnos," Artemis said bluntly, having stood up. He ignored the general shock of the audience that he had interjected—he didn't care. "I know that theatrics are fun to play when you command the attention of a congregation such as this, but I believe that I speak for everyone here when I say that there is no time for such verbosity. We are here, we have come from all corners of the world, and we are all wondering one thing."

Surprisingly, Torin didn't seem upset at all. In fact, he set his eyes on Artemis with but a glimmer of interest.

"And what does the great Artemis Fowl wonder about?"

"That which will, as you said, define the future," Artemis replied, perfectly composed despite having hundreds of eyes on him. He paused, making sure that everyone was listening. Naturally they were. Then, staring back into Torin's hard eyes, he said it.

"The rest of humanity has finally discovered the People."

There was absolute silence after those words. No one spoke, not even those who would usually shout out when given a chance. Expressions froze, and what few officers were sipping their complementary glasses of glacial water nearly choked. Artemis frowned, still eying the Commander.

"You're the one who knows, aren't you? Perhaps you can share it with us. I'm sure everyone would prefer to hear it from the lips of an elf as opposed to a human such as myself." He then sat down, content to let his words fester in the minds of everyone present. He caught a glimpse of Holly's expression as he sat—it was filled with terrible concern.

Commander Carnunnos said nothing for a few seconds, and his silence resulted in hurried whispers within the audience. Then, with a sudden shift in demeanor, he let out a sigh. "I was getting to that," he said, "but yes, Fowl, you are right in what you say."

That was all it took to turn the room into a madhouse. Everyone present, in one way or another, reacted to the news. Some simply gaped, too surprised to even speak, while many shouted out in anger, confusion, denial, or a combination of the three. It was entirely reasonable, as the discovery of the People by the whole of humanity was the worst possible occurrence—a doomsday scenario. Ever since the Great Wars, and the Battle of Taillte, the People had lived in fear of the _mud men_. Fear that they would discover them once more; fear that conflict would once again occur between the two species that dominated the planet. Such fear was present now, even in the eyes of some of the most seasoned officers; fear of having to fight and possibly die in a bloody war that would leave nothing above or below the earth alive. Artemis could hear, see, and even smell the acute emotions that resulted from such a peril. He knew them well.

"You could have put it a little less bluntly," Holly said as she sat next to him, arms crossed.

Artemis sagged down a little, shaking his head. "Are you not surprised? Everyone else is literally losing their heads, and rightfully so. I can't begin to imagine what will come of this."

Holly was adamant, despite the obvious worry she felt. "We'll fix this. One way or another, we'll get through it. We always do."

Artemis smiled a little; he could always depend on her to be strong. He took her words to heart, and then turned his attention back to Commander Carnunnos, who was trying to get everyone to calm down. Clearly he wasn't succeeding. Artemis sighed again, nodding to the huge man to his left.

"Butler, if you will."

The bodyguard nodded wordlessly, and stood up to tower over the others. With a deep breath he let out such an intimidating shout that everyone ceased their conversation in an instant. As everyone turned to look, Torin spoke again.

"Thank you," he said. "Now, if you all would please listen to me. I have a lot of information regarding this development, and it is important that you all take it in."

"Why didn't you tell us sooner!? We should be locking everything down!" someone yelled from one of the rows, much to the consensus of others.

"Because we only just received the intel yesterday," Torin stated. "And there is no sense in shouting such news out in the streets for all to hear. It would result in chaos, anarchy! We must maintain control of this situation, even if that means postponing the disclosure to the public. Otherwise we would be up to our necks in civil unrest and economic fallout. Neither would benefit us."

"Even so," Holly cut in, finally joining the conversation, "Why do other branches of the LEP not know? I know that there were human satellites targeting Artemis not too long ago, but even Foaly could find no mention of the People in government communications. I know that I speak for many of us when I say that not much escapes that centaur."

"We're Section 0," Torin replied immediately, as if that was an answer in and of itself. "We specialize in knowing things before anyone else, even Foaly." Somewhere, at that moment, a centaur was spitting his carrot juice out all over his monitor.

"What of the humans? Why have they not shown any reaction to this news? Surely there would be uproar, calls for action, and full-blown militarization!" another officer said.

This time Artemis had to interject. "I don't mean to sound blunt, but we're not stupid. If my kind were to discover the existence of a technologically superior race of magical beings residing right under their feet, they, and by that I mean those in power, would not just spread the news. This information would be heavily restricted, with only the highest members of the government and military actually privy to it. The masses, as some would call them, would not be told so early on, for such news would spread like wildfire. As a doctor in both psychology and sociology, I can vouch for the fact that any such news would result in the complete collapse of social order, and mass hysteria. Markets would crash, people would swarm stores for bottled water and canned goods, and overall there would be absolutely no means of controlling it. As you all agree, such does not make for good conflict preparation. No, I believe that the world governments, whichever ones know of the People, will do their best to keep this under wraps, at least until they make a breakthrough in diplomacy or are forced to take military action."

Those were sobering words, and many seemed to agree with them. Torin was one of them.

"Well put, Fowl," the elf said. "It is true that, in the early stages of such a discovery, information would be regulated. However, you are not entirely certain in terms of who has said information, and you are wrong with the assumption that they discovered us." He turned about, activating the holographic projector. The Earth materialized before the audience in perfect quality, and upon it various locations were indicated by red markers.

"No one in the human governments is responsible for this discovery, for it wasn't a discovery at all. The truth of our existence was given to them."

There was a flurry of murmurs and hushed tones in the room once more, making everything even more tense. Artemis noticed Holly's hands tightening into fists. She was furious. After a moment of simmering, she leaned forward.

"Someone tipped them off?" she growled dangerously.

"More than that," Torin replied, indicating to the intricate web of red lines that connected with each of the marked areas. "Exactly twenty-eight hours ago, a heavily encrypted file was launched from an unknown source. It contained terabytes of data regarding the People, ranging from settlement locations to defense capabilities. A full encyclopedia if you will. This file was not sent to any public institutions, or any place where it could easily be disseminated. Rather, whoever developed it had it transmitted directly to the intelligence systems of exactly fifty-seven human military and government black sites. These black sites are places that are not supposed to exist; places where the human governments conduct their most clandestine projects. Because of this, all of them were almost completely off of the LEP's monitoring grid, mainly due to the fact that they were cut off from any and all external networks, and have much more advanced security systems. Of course, Section 0 was able to detect it nonetheless, but even still it is unsettling how the source of this leak was not only able to evade the LEP's main grid, but also mask its point of origin to the point that it was untraceable, even for us."

"Impossible!" someone yelled. "The humans are hundreds of years behind us. How can the one who did this hide from our superior technology?"

"Implying that the one who did this was human," Artemis stated flatly.

"Maybe it was you! You're in the perfect position to do such a thing, and I certainly doubt your good intentions towards the People!" a particularly angry looking general growled, gesticulating towards the boy.

"Artemis wouldn't do such a thing!" Holly replied, already losing her temper.

The old general snorted. "We can't trust humans, they are all the same. What of those from the HCIC? We know almost nothing about their ministers, only their puppet commander."

From his seat in the middle row, Commander Ivankov shook his head, somehow managing to keep his cool. "I can assure it wasn't us. Had we wanted to do something like this, we could have done it years ago. Furthermore, why on earth would we have helped you combat Opal's forces if our ultimate intention was to betray you? It's illogical, surely you can see that."

There was more bickering amongst the audience, though it was generally isolated to the few who still disliked cooperation with the humans. Still, it made enough noise, and Commander Carnunnos finally shouted for everyone's attention.

"It is foolish to bicker amongst ourselves at a time like this, when our unity needs to be at its strongest!" Torin said seriously. "There is no reason to believe that anyone here is responsible for this act. Everyone here is a trusted member of the People's forces, or an ally that has proven to be trustworthy on many occasions. Both Fowl and the HCIC are blameless in this. Trust me, Section 0 would have known if it was one of them." He paused, looking from face to face. "We are long past the stage when pointing fingers is permitted. There is really not point now. The truth is out, and now our presence is known to virtually every human government. The United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Canada, and pretty much every other significant power has the road map to our civilization. That is what we should be focusing on right now."

There was a murmuring among the officers, and a lot of fearful expressions.

"What are we to do? Declare war? Or perhaps mindwipe everyone who knows?" a voice asked.

"Nothing so hasty," Torin said immediately. "Any offensive action on our part, even to mindwipe them, would result in catastrophe. Those who know are far too powerful to just scoop up and wipe, it would only end in escalation. No, I believe that that there is no cause for war or aggressive action, not unless it is unavoidable."

"But the humans, they would fear us. Furthermore, they would see our technology and wish to exploit it!"

Artemis sighed as his listened. It was true that there were those among humanity's ranks who would desire to wipe out the People and take their technology, but the majority of humanity was not of that ideological persuasion. Everyone hates war, except for the inhuman, and it was a fact that much of humanity was good at heart—ignorant of many things, but still good at heart. They were just afraid of that which they didn't understand; that which threatened the certainty of life. Listening to the xenophobic remarks made him realize that many among the People were ignorant as well—ignorant of the fact that humans were not inherently evil. He was on the verge of tuning it out when he realized that Torin was looking directly at him.

"What does Artemis Fowl have to say about this matter?" he asked.

Artemis smiled a little—of course he'd be singled out and asked a loaded question. Such was expected. "What I think," he began, "Is that despite this situation, there is still hope for a peaceful outcome. As you can see by my presence here, and that of the HCIC, humanity is not inherently evil. Ignorant? Absolutely. But not all evil as some of you perceive them as." He was standing up now, having decided to face the others. "The simple fact of the matter is that we only have two options. We can either wage a war that would have no victor, or we can try and make peace. Diplomacy is what we need, not xenophobic ideologies and warmongering."

He had everyone's attention, and judging by the lack of response, no one seemed to object. Good. "I know for a fact that the human governments are making plans for war, but that is how anyone would react to a potential threat. I also know that my kin will not attack first, if at all. If the contents of the leaked data are what I think they are, it would be reasonable for them to assume that the People, based on their technology, would be a terrible mistake to attack without proper cause. Think of it as the Cold War—both sides possess weapons of enormous power, meaning that an attack by either one would assure their mutual destruction. That is what we have here, and thus this is not like picking on a small nation that happens to possess significant oil reserves, but rather a powerful civilization that can fight back, and possibly win. Trust me when I say that there are no members within the human armies that want a war like that, because they would be the ones dying in it."

"Furthermore, it is clear that the People have technology and knowledge that would benefit humanity on a massive scale. It would be a logical argument that cooperation with the People would be far more beneficial than war or isolation. I say this not only because it makes sense from a logical point of view, but also from an economic one. Humanity, as you should well know by now, is very attentive to cost. A war would generate enormous funds for the military industrial complex, but cooperation with the People would be far more profitable in the long run. You don't need to be an economist to figure that out."

Torin had been listening intently. "So what do you propose?"

Artemis smiled. "I propose that we meet with their representatives, sit down at a table, and talk. Mere dialogue can melt the frigid grasp of misunderstanding. And that is without our help." He paused, nodding to the HCIC members. "I believe that with reputable humans vouching for the People, there can be even greater progress."

"That is most certainly true," Commander Ivankov stated. "Our ministers command a great deal of power within their circles. They would certainly be able to provide a level of stability in any negotiations. I am willing to call on my old contacts from my previous life as well, back when I worked in the FSB. They owe me a hell of a lot of favors."

"And I, of course, would be willing to attend any negotiations as well," Artemis said. "We all know that I can outperform any interpreter the People have. I am, as some would put it, a genius."

"That's already well established, Fowl," Torin replied. "But indeed, I believe that there is much wisdom to your words. Diplomacy is what we must strive for, and with your support it would be much less of a shock to the rest of humanity." He turned to the audience. "What say the rest of you? Shall we attempt to negotiate with the humans?"

The majority of those present raised their hands in agreement—a few dozen abstained.

"Then it is decided," Torin stated. "We will wait on their invitation. I am certain that, if Artemis is correct in his assumptions, they will extend the opportunity. If not, we can always do so as well."

Artemis sat down, feeling a little better than he had before. At least matters were moving in the right direction now, and thankfully his words had instilled some sense into the minds of those present. Now he would have to wait and see what developed next.

"With that out of the way, for now at least, I would like to move on to the next logical step," Torin said loudly. "Despite the fact that diplomacy is our goal, there is always the possibility of conflict, and in the event of such an occurrence, the People must be ready. It is no secret that the human governments are already consolidating their forces. It would be foolish for us to leave ourselves open by not doing the same."

"Don't tell me he's actually going to use it," Holly said softly to herself, though Artemis heard it well enough.

Torin seemed perfectly sure of himself. He was intent on whatever he was thinking.

"In order to ensure the safety and sovereignty of the People, I propose the enacting of the Morrigan Protocol."

"Gods, he really did," Holly deadpanned. The Morrigan Protocol was something of a legend, an old contingency that had been drafted back in the times of old, when the People had first been driven below by the humans. It had never been used, and for good reason. The Morrigan Protocol, named after an ancient trinity goddess associated with sovereignty, prophecy, and war, was only to be enacted in times of total war against humanity. Should conflict be a possibility, the protocol would be brought into effect, granting the governing body of the People significant powers, as well as mandating the full mobilization and rearmament of the People's military forces. In short, it was meant to be the prelude to what would be the largest conflict in history, one that would ensure that the People are ready to engage human forces on a global scale. Now, after thousands of years of being but a terrifying possibility, it was being resurrected. This made Holly uneasy, because there was no limit to the power it granted. And power was a dangerous thing when in the hands of a few. Furthermore, it only increased the feelings of aggression—making ready for war doesn't help people think peacefully.

Artemis noted her concern, and knew immediately what the Morrigan Protocol meant. Of course, he already knew who Morrigan was—she was an ancient Irish Goddess, likely passed on to humans by the fairies back when they had both lived on the surface. Now with the confirmation he saw in Holly's expression, he knew that this was a full-on arms race the People were about to participate in.

"All in favor of enacting the Morrigan Protocol?" Torin said.

The council was present in the front-right row. All of them raised their hands. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of the present officers concurred, silently declaring their stance. It was quite ridiculous—such a powerful act, one that would change the very structure of the Lower Elements, passed in but a few moments by the simple act of raising hands. Its implications were so much greater than mere gesticulation—they were earthshaking. But it was done. The council had decided, and with the backing of most of the People's representatives, there was no way it could be repealed.

"It is decided," Commander Carnunnos said firmly. "All of you know what to do. So, without further delay, I believe it is time we take a break. We will discuss this matter in detail in the afternoon."

The lights came to life in the room, banishing the dimness. As everyone started to make their way out, speaking amongst themselves in hushed tones, Artemis turned to Holly.

"Well that went well."

The elf rolled her eyes. "Apart from that fact that we're gearing up for war. I know that such measures are prudent, but I hope they prove unnecessary."

Artemis nodded. "As do I."

They started to make their way out. As he started up the steps, Artemis glanced at the image of Earth on the holographic projector. Humanity and the People shared the same world. They had to get along, or there would be nothing left but ash. Diplomacy was the only way, but it seemed that no nation prepared for diplomacy without first preparing for war. It reminded Artemis of an old saying, one that was paradoxical and yet had been validated on countless occasions in history.

_"Let him who desires peace prepare for war."_

**United Nations Headquarters, New York City**

It was just a few hours after dawn in New York. The early morning fog still hung over the Hudson River, its haze dimming the sunlight, making the brisk morning even cooler, and filling the air with a dampness that was inescapable. Looming over the river was the United Nations Headquarters, its glass exterior reflecting the risen sun in sharp flashes of gold and orange. The flags that represented the many nations that were part of the organization were flapping gently in the cool breeze, which carried with it the sounds of traffic and industry. To all it would seem that it was a normal morning in the iconic city; just another day of chasing the American Dream. How wrong such an assumption was.

Within the halls of the UN Headquarters there was no such sense of normalcy. Though there were very few people present within the building's halls at the moment, they all shared the obvious signs of being completely on edge. The truth of the matter was that no one was allowed inside the building, no one except those who had level four security clearances—a level that was beyond top secret, and only given to a few within any nation. In this case, they were given to those who were allowed to know about the current crisis at hand. One of those people was the United Nations Secretary-General, Takashi Miyamoto.

Takashi walked through the empty corridor leading to the General Assembly, flanked by Adrian Ludwigsson, the Deputy Secretary-General. The former was a Japanese man in his late fifties, with wizened features and a calm air about himself. With his modest approach to his appearance, he could have been passed off as an ordinary businessman, but such was not the case. He was the Secretary-General, and he was about to facilitate the most important meeting of his life.

"Is everyone present?" he asked his colleague.

"All one-hundred-and-ninety-three member states." Ludwigsson replied. He was a taller man of about the same age, with blond hair and relatively smooth features. "Even North Korea showed up."

Takashi nodded. It was a full summit, and rightfully so. After the sudden explosion of data within the various systems of numerous member states, and the subsequent realization of what it meant, an emergency meeting of the general assembly had been called. Unlike so many times in the past, everyone showed up, and everyone seemed intent on taking an active role in the impending resolution.

_And how could they not? _Takashi thought as an agent opened the door ahead of him. The outcome of the meeting would decide the very course of human history. Whatever resolution was passed, it would permanently change the world.

Even still, the whole premise of the meeting was ridiculous, at least at first glance. Takashi had only been briefed on the situation less than fifteen hours ago; that's not a lot of time to come to terms with the content. Apparently, as one of his colleagues had relayed to him, an advanced alien race living beneath the surface, with enough technology to make humanity appear obsolete, had been under their noses since time immemorial. Fairies—that's what they were called. Magical creatures of ancient myth that had been confined to children's stories and Hollywood movies, at least until now. Now it was real, and because of that there were dreadful implications on the minds of every world leader, even those who were certifiably insane. This was not only due to the fact that they were apparently more advanced than humanity, lived many times longer, and had the ability to use actual magic; it was also due to the fact that, in what could be gleaned from history and the leaked data, humanity had once fought against them in a cataclysmic war. It had been many millennia ago, but that didn't change the fact that the human race and this other one had been at each others throats since the dawn of time. The only difference now was that most of humanity didn't know it was in a state of cold war with such a race. Takashi shook his head as he neared the assembly room. Truly this was a day he thought would never come, a day when the leaders of the human race would get together to discuss the possible threat of fairies—The People, as they called themselves.

The two men paused as they reached the door to the General Assembly; a point of no return. Takashi looked at his colleague, a bemused look on his wise face.

"I've lost count of the times we've walked through this door, my friend. But this is the first time either of us will do so for the matter that looms ahead of us. I don't think I would have ever dreamt about something like this, not even in my wildest of dreams."

Ludwigsson smiled thinly. "It is indeed a first. Let's hope it is one for the better."

Takashi nodded, adjusting his tie just a little before putting his hand on the door. The entire world, at least metaphorically, was waiting on the other side. He had faced such pressure on so many occasions in his career, and thus had no fear of standing before the General Assembly. But this time was different. This time, instead of conferring about a specific human conflict, they would be focusing on something entirely different; something that made all other disagreements and issues obsolete. This time, they would be discussing the fate of the entire human race. Envisioning this undertaking, Takashi closed his eyes for a brief moment, making a silent prayer. When he opened his eyes again, he was ready.

"Let's go," he said firmly.

With a look of iron determination on his face, Secretary-General Miyamoto opened the door, and began what would be one of the most iconic meetings in human history.

**Author's Note:**

**A dense chapter, but such is necessary for the establishment of future events, which may or may not be of ridiculous proportions. I hope everything makes sense, as politics and diplomacy are quite complex and applying such things to Artemis Fowl is relatively new to me. Regardless, this chapter marks the beginning of something big. I will leave the rest to your imagination. As always be sure to review, and again—as always—happy reading!**

**John Creel**


	6. Nuntius

**Central Residential District, Haven City**

The residential district was quiet in the artificial night, the majority of its residents fast asleep within the comfort of their own homes. Breaking the relative silence of the neighborhood was the sound of an LEP squad car as it drove through the streets. It stopped before a large apartment complex, its fusion engine going silent as the driver switched off the ignition. Major Holly Short climbed out of the vehicle, a sour look on her face. She hated driving in Haven, even at night, and what made it worse was the fact that she had been spending the whole day instructing recruits. Usually that was fine, but given the recent developments, teaching skittish novices how to operate a simple Neutrino was very low on her to-do list. However, it was also necessary for the purpose of rearmament—the upsurge in recruitment mandated by the Morrigan Protocol.

Setting her eyes on the apartment building before her, Holly started up the pathway to its entrance. Three days had passed since the summit; three days of frigid anticipation. For most within the LEP ranks, it was a time of excessive work. But for Artemis and the Butlers, it had been very mundane. Though Fowl's expertise was necessary for what was coming, the boy had not been given anything to do, and so he had to spend his time doing work in his own way. That meant monitoring human networks, drafting plans, and keeping an eye on a million other factors at once.

"He just had to turn my apartment into his office," Holly growled as she reached the door.

It was true that Haven was undergoing a shortage in housing, and as a result Artemis, Butler, and Juliet had no place to go. In the end, despite significant effort, they had been forced to reside within Holly's modest apartment; the only other option was Mulch's place, and that was automatically out of the question due to sanitary issues.

It was not that she didn't mind lending her property to them—they were her friends, and she'd never allow them to suffer living in Mulch's abode. Nevertheless, given her current mood, it was hard for her not to frown when she opened her room's door, revealing a space meant to house a single fairy packed with three humans—taking Butler's size into account, more like six.

"Ah, the Major has returned," Artemis said impassively, not looking up from his laptop. He was engrossed in his work, and very little could disturb that.

"Nice to see you've made yourselves at home," Holly remarked, noting how Butler was quite literally squeezed into a corner, cleaning his firearm for the umpteenth time. Juliet had taken about a fifth of the apartment, and was using it to do ballistic stretching. All were keeping themselves busy in their own way; doing nothing in such a tense period of waiting was not good for the mind.

Holly tossed her helmet onto the couch, and looked over Artemis' shoulder. "Have you found anything?"

Artemis smiled a little. "I always do." His smile was thin, and the truth of his mood could be seen in his tired eyes. He was extremely worried. That was a trait that was a permanent part of Artemis; not the worry, but rather a feeling of responsibility for everything. Whenever there was something serious at hand, Artemis took it upon himself to solve it. Even if it seemed impossible to ameliorate, he still tried, and rarely did he give up until he succeeded. It was noble and yet detrimental—noble in its intentions, but potentially destructive in its resulting stress load. Holly could easily see lines upon Artemis' face that were uncommon amongst people his age—lines that only appeared through prolonged periods of anxious consideration. Artemis was a young man who always took it as his duty to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders; a weight that no living being, not even he, could handle forever.

"You should get some rest," Holly told him, noting the time. It was well past midnight.

The boy shook his head. "I have a feeling that rest will have to wait."

The elf cocked a brow, studying his face. "Why is that?"

Artemis' fingers blurred as he rapidly typed upon the keyboard. Holly took one look at the screen and resigned herself to the fact that she had no idea what he was doing. A few moments later he stopped, bringing up a series of heavily encrypted data packets.

"Because," he said, looking back to Holly. "We have just received a transmission from the United Nations. An electronic _nuntius_ as it were."

Holly's fatigue was dashed by the news, and replaced by a rush of urgency. A message from the UN? That could only mean one thing. "How did they do that? What did they say?" she asked, leaning in closer, her brows furrowed in a serious expression.

Artemis shrugged. "It's rather simple how they did it. All I can tell with this laptop is the origin of the data pulse; its encryption is clearly meant to be only breakable by LEP systems. Though I can break it if given the time, I know for a fact that Foaly has already done so."

Holly gave him a look. "You seem so sure about all of this. Any other predictions, genius?"

"Yes, actually," Artemis replied, smiling a little after checking his watch. "You will receive a transmission from Commander Kelp in exactly three seconds."

There was no point doubting what he said. Shaking her head with amazement, she retrieved her communicator from her pocket. It beeped precisely when it was supposed to.

"Commander, what's the word?" Holly said immediately, not failing to see Artemis' triumphant grin in her peripheral vision. _Is he ever wrong?_

_"I bet that Artemis already told you, but I'll say it anyway,"_ Trouble replied, sounding a little stressed. _"Foaly has just intercepted a transmission. It's from the UN."_

Holly nodded, her face set in stone. Now it was double confirmed. "Artemis figured out that much. Do you mind filling us in on its contents?"

Trouble took a moment to respond, as if he was just reading it_. "Not over the line, Holly. You're going to want to see this. And bring Artemis as well. We have a lot of work cut out for us."_

**Ops Booth, Police Plaza**

There was a lot of commotion within the LEP HQ's command room. Officers were working tirelessly at their stations, sending out communications to their counterparts in the various fairy settlements around the world. Everyone was on edge, but also excited—the nature of the news they had just been given was ample cause for that.

Within the confines of his precious ops booth, ensconced in his favorite swivel chair, Foaly heard absolutely none of it. The walls provided absolute noise reduction, therefore leaving him free of the constant drone of the control room. Nonetheless, he felt their excitement as his own, along with a significant amount of anxiety.

"Where will this lead us to?" he thought aloud, glancing at the photos of his family. "What is the end to this story? Do I even want to know?" He shook his head. There was no way of telling how matters would carry out, not in such an unpredictable business as this. All he could do was put in his best effort, and trust that those in command—on both sides—acted in the best interests of the world.

He went back to his work, but the ops booth door opened a few moments later, scattering his efforts. He turned around, and smiled when he saw Holly.

"Holly, I was starting to get lonely," he said.

The elf seemed dreadfully serious, though she still said her hellos. Artemis and the Butlers also entered, followed by Commander Kelp. All of them gathered around centaur. Holly was blunt in her demands.

"What does it say, the transmission from the humans?" she asked.

Foaly tapped a few keys on his console. "See for yourself."

An encrypted file popped up on the central monitor, and after a split-second of unpacking, a readable message appeared. Everyone studied it in silence. Artemis couldn't help but grin. _Oh the formality._ The message was a textbook example of an exclusive invitation; a diplomatic letter requesting the audience of the receiver with the sender. In this case, it was addressed to "The People", and in diplomatic speak it voiced humanity's collective desire to initiate dialogue. It was quite a civilized response, one that many fairies—with their biased understanding of humans—would be surprised by. But it surprised no one here.

"They want to negotiate," Holly said, the news bringing relief. So far level heads had prevailed.

"Indeed," Commander Kelp stated. "Foaly intercepted the transmission only an hour ago."

"It was quite obvious," the centaur interjected, his ego starting to show. "The United Nations held a resolution a few days ago, and I guess it took them this long to set up a means of relaying the message to the Lower Elements. They did so via a series of powerful microwave pulses directed in concentrated bursts towards the ground, within which they enclosed the encrypted message. Such a means of transmission wouldn't penetrate deep enough to reach places like Haven, however we, and by that I mean I, have numerous receivers planted near the surface, as well as within the surface terminals. When the pulse was made, it was immediately flagged as uncharacteristic human activity, and a few moments later I had this message right here as you see it now. It was heavily encrypted, but that's no problem for me."

Butler was eying the screen intently. "And so, for the first time in thousands of years, humanity and the People are actively engaging in dialogue."

"A historical moment," Trouble stated, "But it is also a sensitive one. We must approach this with the utmost caution. Any mistake may plunge us into war, for it is clear that both sides are ready for it, and some amongst them are expecting it."

Holly nodded solemnly. It was just like so many human standoffs. On both sides were people who were ready to kill those on the other, though neither desired it. And when such people, many of them young and fearful of the looming threat, were a single command away from initiating hell itself, the stress tended to become unbearable. All it took was one tired young man or woman, in a moment of fear or misunderstanding, to accidentally fire the first shot. And when that happens, everything goes to hell really fast. As a soldier Holly understood that all too well. She looked at the message again.

"How are we to carry this out? There are a lot of things that could go wrong, and that's not good when everyone is a single breath away from blowing each other to kingdom come."

Artemis had been hanging back the entire time, his visage cast in thought. Only then did he speak. "Our only option is to accept their invitation. As per the message, they have scheduled a full summit in Geneva for three days from now. Everyone will be there, though I expect for it to be conducted in secrecy. They will wait until after the talks to announce anything to the general public. How we represent ourselves, and incidentally how we represent the entirety of the People, will ultimately determine what that announcement will be."

"And while you're on a roll, how should we go about representing ourselves?" Trouble asked.

Artemis smiled thinly. "By showing them that humans and fairies can coexist; that we can work together as opposed to against one another. That is our ultimate goal, so what better than to show them the epitome of it? That's precisely what we discussed three days ago."

It was an impeccable point, and no one disagreed.

"That's something I believe you should say before the council," Commander Kelp said after checking the time.

Artemis cocked a brow. "A meeting already I presume?"

Trouble nodded. "You've got five minutes to come up with an argument, though I doubt you'll need it."

The prodigy smiled, his signature grin flawlessly befitting of his confidently spoken words.

"What do you think I've been doing for the last three days?"

**Two hours later, Police Plaza**

The council room door opened silently, and out from the room walked Artemis Fowl, followed by Major Short and Commander Kelp.

"That went better than expected," Artemis said to those behind him.

Holly nodded. "Yeah, for once the council didn't get its ears in a knot. I'm impressed."

"That's because there was really only one option," Trouble replied. "Anything else would be far less effective. The council knows that. We all know that."

The meeting had been a long one, though only because there were so many details to be discussed. Quite surprisingly, the council had adopted Artemis' plan within the first ten minutes of discussion, leaving the rest to iron out the specifics. Such had been done thoroughly, and now everything was settled. Artemis went over it in his head as he walked.

In three days a delegation would be sent to Geneva to conduct talks with the human governments. The delegation, as per the now popular opinion, would have to be a shining example of both the character and professionalism of the People, as well as the prospect of human cooperation. The former responsibility would be given to the most impeccable members of the LEP, who would act on behalf of the council. Trouble Kelp, as CINCLEP, was a logical choice. His extensive experience as a leader and a high-ranking officer made him a strong voice for the People, and given his relatively moderate views and significant experience with humans, he was the best candidate from within the upper ranks of the People's security forces.

But Trouble wasn't the only one from the LEP who had been selected to attend. No, there was a need for someone else as well; an officer who had been the first fairy to befriend a human in millennia, who had pioneered a partnership that had saved the world on multiple occasions, and had become an icon of heroics along the way. Only one fairy fit those criteria. Major Holly Short was the epitome of bravery and dedication, and was the example that all other officers worked towards. The presence of such an exemplary soldier, one who was also close friends with humans, would make a huge difference. Furthermore, it was necessary for there to be female representation; Holly was both badass and beautiful, so there was no deficiency in that.

Artemis smiled. The summit would most certainly be interesting with her around. He too would be going, but that was quite obvious. As both a genius and an ally of the People, he was a perfect representative. Even amongst humanity he had a good profile—so long as no one dug too deep into his family's past. Artemis had become a renowned philanthropist over the years, as had his father, and his numerous breakthroughs and studies had amazed the academic communities around the globe. In fact, the only reason he didn't have a Nobel Prize was because he refused to have one; he didn't desire such praise. Ultimately, he was a young man who could outperform any world leader in every aspect of politics, and make any argument turn in his favor. Nonetheless, he was just one person, and with his criminal past as a possible issue, it was important to have a wider human representation. That's where the HCIC came in.

Commander Ivankov had already been briefed on the council's decision, and had begun his part of the plan. The HCIC had something important—it was a powerful global organization funded by very prominent members of human society, and it had the credentials to back that up. With the HCICs Chief of Security and ministers present along with Artemis, there would be an overwhelming amount of legitimacy behind the possibility of peace between the two races. Artemis was certain that such would ameliorate many of the human representative's fears, though not all of them. There would be doubts, and some would perceive Artemis and the HCIC as traitors. That was inevitable, and therefore was just an obstacle that would have to be surpassed when it presented itself.

When the three of them finally made it back to the main corridor, they found Butler and Juliet waiting.

"How did it go?" they both asked simultaneously.

"The results were more than sufficient," Artemis replied. "The council was rather benevolent today."

He quickly went over the resolution with the Butlers, and when he was done both seemed content with the results as well.

"I suppose you will need a security detail?" Butler asked.

Artemis smiled. "Since when have I talked to politicians without you by my side?"

Butler grinned, remembering the numerous times Artemis had verbally dismantled political figures. Part of said dismantling was thanks to Butler's terrifying presence, which made any powerful figure realize that they were not powerful at all without their titles. Apart from that, Butler was also an excellent crime deterrent, among a million other things.

Commander Kelp indicated down the hall. "I need to get back to the command room. There are a lot of logistical matters to take care of before the summit. Best to start early."

As Trouble took his leave, Holly gave Artemis a look. "I guess we should start writing up our statements. I don't know about you, but I'm not very crazy about going before the UN without having any idea what to say. I prefer flying ships and disregarding regulations, not making eloquent speeches."

"Perhaps," Artemis replied, "Though I must put it out there that you haven't had any sleep or eaten a substantial meal for over a day. You should take a break."

"The same goes for you three."

"Then why don't we discuss this over a very early breakfast. After all, it's only four in the morning." Artemis paused, having just remembered the time. "Is anything even open right now?"

Holly grinned. "Don't worry about it. I know a place."

They made their way to leave the building, chatting about the looming conference as they went. It was when they had reached the front door of the LEP Headquarters that they heard a familiar voice.

"Sorry we're late; we had to take a detour through another dimension. Metaphysical theory combined with advanced magic tends to be a time consuming area of study."

The four of them stopped, seeing a familiar pair standing in the doorway. The older of the two smiled.

"Now that we're present, how about we help you out with this dilemma? After all, I am older than all of you put together times ten."

Artemis smiled despite himself; he hadn't seen the two of them since the events of a year ago. He wasn't surprised at all that they were here. In fact, he had been wondering when they would show up. After all, since when did the most powerful warlocks in the world keep out of issues as big as this?

"Greetings Quan, N°1," Artemis said through his grin.

The demon imp waved jovially, and the elder warlock simply smiled again.

"It's been a while, hasn't it Artemis Fowl?"

"Indeed it has," the young man said. Quan and N°1 were a pleasant sight. Both had been close comrades during the battle against Opal, and if it wasn't for them they wouldn't have won at all. But Artemis had an undying respect for them for more reasons than that. As the two most powerful warlocks in the world, their understanding of magic and fairy history was far beyond his, and probably always would be. It was rare that anyone surpassed him in anything, and he respected those who did.

"Well that's another surprise in a day full of surprises," Holly deadpanned. "You two were supposed to be absent for the next few months, gone doing whatever it is you two do. All I can say is that I'm glad you're here. We could use your help."

Quan smiled. "And I intend to give it. It is no secret to me what has been happening in the world, and as the last remaining elder warlock it is my duty to ensure that the People survive whatever becomes of it. I have lived through the times when the People still resided on the surface with the humans, and the subsequent war that forced them below." His face tightening with sadness. "It was a terrible conflict, and it accomplished nothing for either side. I will not let such a thing happen again."

Artemis nodded thoughtfully. Quan had lived for thousands of years, and such years had made him wise beyond measure. Such wisdom was something they needed. The council had expressed this opinion as well, though they were uncertain as to when the warlock would return. Now that he had, there was no doubt about whether or not he was going to be part of the delegation.

"I will accompany you to Geneva," Quan said, not needing the invitation. "Believe me, I've been to more political convocations than I care to count, including some very heated ones between the People and humanity during the last interspecies war."

Holly made a face. "Let me guess, those ones didn't go so well?"

"This time it will be different. Not only has humanity itself changed over the last few thousand years, we also have some of them on our side." He made eye contact with Artemis. "That's an edge we didn't have last time, and that changes everything."

Artemis nodded. "It will help them understand."

"And that is precisely what is needed between these two peoples," Quan replied. "As a wise human once said, peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding."

Understanding was a two-way street, meant to be frequented in both directions. Yet so often did it only go one way, or no way at all; the road to understanding was a path that many failed to find. With the crisis they were under at the moment, Artemis knew that there would be a need to lead others to that path; to show them the way. That was his purpose now, and as such it was his strongest ambition.

"We have less than three days, the clock is ticking," the prodigy said.

"There is much work to be done," Quan agreed.

"Shall we get started, my friend?"

The elder warlock smiled again.

"It would be my pleasure."

**Unknown Location**

The room would have been dark had it not been for the countless monitors and command consoles that wrapped around the circular expanse, all of which were glowing a soft blue that banished the dreary shadows. It was clearly a command and control center of some sort, but despite this there was a shocking lack of activity within it. No one worked at any of the stations, and no one was present in the room; no one except for the figure sitting in one of the central chairs, viewing readouts on a holographic projection screen. He rhythmically tapped the holster on his right side as he studied the data, his eyes narrowed to match his stern demeanor.

His communicator beeped, breaking his concentration. With a slight growl, he took the device out of his pocket and activated it.

"What is it?" he demanded.

_"Sir, we've just gotten word from our operatives."_

The figure cocked a brow. "And?"

He listened to his subordinate's response, and after a few moments of chewing it over, he smiled a little.

"That's excellent news. Keep tabs on them, and I mean all of them."

_"Yes sir."_

The line went dead, allowing for the figure to go back to studying that which was before him.

"Everything is falling into place, just as he said they would. I have to admit, I'm impressed." He chuckled a little. "It's a shame that our partnership will only end in betrayal. But then again, that's exactly how the last one went. That's just how the world works; betrayal is the only truth that sticks." He paused, setting his eyes on a particular item on the display. A sick smile worked its way across his features. "The hour has almost arrived, and not a moment too soon. For so long have I been craving this opportunity, and for so long have I been planning for it. Now it will all pay off in all of its chaotic glory, and as the world burns, I will have my victory."

**Author's Note:**

**Another smaller update, but I assure you that the next chapter will be quite different. As always, review if you wish, it is greatly appreciated. Happy reading!**

**John Creel**


	7. Geneva

**Haven Terminal – LEP Sector**

Haven's central terminal, the main artery into the People's capital city, was an astounding display of bustling industry. Hundreds of transports, and many more personal craft, traveled through the terminal every day, and as a result it was always congested. Despite this everything ran smoothly, the terminal's traffic control systems having been optimized by Foaly himself. It was a masterpiece of organized chaos, everything operating with such precision and efficiency that it was like the continuous and flawless threading of a needle.

The LEP sector of the terminal was much less hectic, though it was still vibrant with activity, especially on this specific morning. Hundreds of advanced shuttles, interceptors, and gunships were lined up along the tarmac, but the attention of nearly everyone within the facility was upon a cluster that sat at the ready upon the priority launch pad. Such a focus was only natural, for it was a historic moment; the departure of the People's delegation to humanity.

A relatively large party of officials was present to see them off—high-ranking officers, government officials, and the council—and there was an intense air of solemnity and expectation. Everyone knew that this was the People's one and only chance to make the right impression upon humanity, and to effectively avoid a disastrous misunderstanding. The fate of their kind was on the line, and such made even the most snobbish of officials mind their attitude and wish them the best.

_No pressure._ Holly thought to herself as she reached the summit of the launch pad. The rest of the entourage was making their way up along with her.

Commander Kelp was in the lead, speaking with Commander Carnunnos. Quan was lecturing N°1 on something esoteric, never missing a chance to teach his pupil. Artemis and his personal security, Butler and Juliet, were characteristically silent and indomitable. Holly herself wasn't very talkative either, but then again how could one be before such a tremendously important event? All of them were constantly going over their respective responsibilities, and mentally preparing themselves for the likely intense conference. Holly hoped with all of her heart and soul that it would not end with bitter words.

However good their intentions were, the number of things that could go wrong was quite extensive. As a precaution they were being accompanied by retrieval teams four and seven. A squadron of interceptors was also provided, though it would remain cloaked and hang back unless needed; hopefully they wouldn't be.

"Worried Holly?" Artemis suddenly asked her. The boy seemed confident, as he always did. She smiled thinly.

"Who wouldn't be?"

Their transports loomed ahead, and the path to them was lined by those who would see them off. Words of encouragement were given, and sincere expressions abounded, as if such could change the outcome. Holly accepted the kind words with outward gratitude, but within the privacy of her own mind she was getting impatient. All of this formality was getting on her nerves, for it only further delayed that which she wanted to get over with. Thankfully the little ceremony didn't last long, and soon they were ready to depart.

Commander Kelp spoke a little more with Carnunnos, who seemed urgent about something. Trouble nodded as they spoke, and then set his eyes on Holly.

"Major, can you come here for a moment?"

Holly walked up to them, noting their expressions. "I guess there's a problem, and you need me to fix it?"

Torin nodded. "It's not necessarily a problem, however it is something that I need you to ensure remains benign. As you know the HCIC delegation is coming as well, and it is imperative that they arrive on time and without issue. We have been having trouble establishing contact with them for a while now, though it's only due to natural interference I assure you. I just need you and retrieval team seven to take a detour and ensure that nothing is amiss. Furthermore, you are to escort them to Geneva. There's a much better message in having them arrive with an LEP escort, just as Fowl is. You and RET7 will carry that out."

Holly could see Artemis not too far away, evidently eavesdropping. "Can't you just have RET7 do it? This is all last minute, and I've already set myself up to pilot the transport."

"That wasn't a suggestion, Major, that was an order," Torin replied, his tone slightly rough.

He was giving her orders, even though that was not his place. That pissed Holly off, but she held her tongue. She glanced at Trouble, who seemed a little annoyed too, but also resigned. The Morrigan Protocol had given Torin even more authority than before.

"Heed his order Major," Trouble said, silently imparting another message. _Let it go._

"Yes sir, sorry sir."

Commander Carnunnos took his leave, his mood becoming suddenly chipper as he wished them luck one last time. Holly watched him go, and then moved closer to Trouble.

"How do you stand that guy?"

Trouble frowned. "I went through the academy with him. He's a good officer, but he certainly has a superiority complex. Don't mind him any more than you would anyone else."

"I'll do my best," Holly lied.

"We should get going," Trouble stated. He started to head to his transport, but stopped himself to look her in the eyes. "I'll see you in Geneva. Good luck Holly."

"Good luck to you too."

As Trouble climbed into the shuttle, Artemis appeared at her elbow.

"Don't worry about me," he said.

Holly gave him a look. "What makes you think that was my reason for almost wanting to choke-slam Torin?"

Artemis smiled knowingly. "I'm a genius. I can tell."

He spoke the truth, and Holly knew it. During such a critical time like this, the last thing she wanted was to be separated from him. Not only were they a team; Artemis was one of the People's greatest hopes, and her greatest friend. At times like this they had to stick together. Holly sighed, unable to fight back a smile.

"You're too smart for your own good. If you keep looking into my mind I'll have to punch you."

"Then I will stop doing so effective immediately," Artemis replied, feigning dismay. "It won't look good if I show up in Geneva with a limp arm."

"No, it wouldn't," Holly said through her grin.

As they said their goodbyes, Quan was doing the same with N°1. The demon imp was an extraordinary wielder of magic, but when it came to the harsh world of politics he was quite inept. Such inexperience, when coupled with his relatively young age, was just too risky. Furthermore, Quan needed to be on his own for this, without the need to watch over his valuable apprentice, and thus the ability to focus entirely upon the task at hand. It was a harsh reality, but N°1 understood and accepted it without protest—he was far more mature than he looked.

"I'll see you there then," Holly said to Artemis. "Try not to get yourself into trouble until I show up."

"Don't worry, we won't start without you."

They said the last parting words, and after a brief moment of hesitation started off in separate directions towards their respective ships. Holly gave Butler and Juliet a concerned look as she passed them. "Keep an eye on him." She knew she didn't need to ask them that, but she said it anyway, almost out of reflex. It amused her how she was fretting over the boy's well-being like a worried mother. Quite funny indeed.

Retrieval team seven was waiting for her at the shuttle, and each saluted her as she neared. She waved off the formalities immediately, not caring about such things at the moment.

"Load up, we're on the clock," she said to them, climbing into the ship. Seamlessly settling into the pilot's seat, Holly started up the aircraft and contacted the air traffic control for the final clearance, which came instantly. She could see Artemis' transport taking off to her right, flanked by its fighter escort. She watched them go, fading away as they blasted off into the chute.

"I'll see you on the other side."

**Unknown Location**

A figure stood before a large virtual grid, upon which numerous entities were marked, their positions and status indicated by symbols and fine red text. The room, filled with other people, had suddenly become silent, all eyes having settled upon the one observing the grid, who was evidently their leader. The only sound was that of breathing and whirring computer systems, and as the figure eyed the grid, there was an air of anticipation. After a long moment of inward thought, he turned to face his compatriots.

"My brothers, the time has finally come. A time of change, a time of reckoning!" he said, his rough voice not only audible to those within the room, but also the hundreds who were listening over comm links. "We have waited for so long, too long! But that wait is finally over. Now, my brothers, we are at the critical moment. I have craved this, for I am ambitious and filled with hatred, and as a result my decision has already been made. But what of you my brethren? What is your decision? Do you desire to be the arrow that strikes down all who oppose us, or remain the underlings destined to be trampled under their boots?"

A chorus of shouts, filled with thirst and anticipation, rose in response. The figure grinned.

"Are you hungry, my brothers? Hungry for war, for strife, for death, for murder, for domination, for agony, for terror, and for the utter annihilation of the pitiful state of affairs that this world has been under for so long? I ask you as fellow brothers in arms, what is it that you crave most? Do you crave destruction as I do? For a filthy, brutal war? Do you wish for blood to flow like rivers, both above and below the earth? For the entire world to be stained crimson by our hand? Tell me, what will be the last thing that all who oppose us see? What will be the color of our passage?!"

"Blood! Blood! Blood!" the occupants of the room shouted, their eyes filled with the same anger and burning desire as those of their leader.

"Then blood you shall have!" the figure replied, grinning confidently. "We will strike down upon our foes like the talons of a falcon, and plant fear into their hearts like the demons of hell! The world we know and hate will burn, and a new one will rise from the ashes, and it will be ours!" He motioned with his right hand. "So let us begin, my brothers. Let us remind them of what terror feels like. Let us remind them of their own mortality! But more than anything, let us remind them of who we are!"

The figure grinned as his subordinates cheered, the air filled with a lust for conflict, fueled by hatred, greed, and madness. This was beauty; this was what would launch him towards the goal he had been denied so many times. As those within the room went back to work with renewed vigor, their leader turned to face the battle grid.

"All operation companies, report!"

A flurry of responses came over his earpiece.

"_Reaper company ready!"_

"_Talon company ready!"_

"_Razor company ready!"_

"_Viper company ready!"_

"_Raven company ready!"_

"_Wolf company ready!"_

Like pieces of a puzzle, all falling into place. It was all so perfect.

"Then let us begin, shall we?" he said voraciously, his eyes smoldering with anticipation. "Commence operation black banner! Give them hell!"

**HCIC Headquarters**

The hangar bay of the HCIC was filled with activity as the LEP shuttle entered through the large blast door that separated the facility from the magma chutes. Dozens of ships, both human and fairy, were situated across the hangar, and dozens of people rushed about as they carried out their tasks. Holly opened a channel to the control tower, and received immediate landing instructions. Bringing the bulky ship down, she landed it in the designated area, following the signal officer's directions absentmindedly. The ship came to a gentle halt, and as she powered it down, Holly eyed the LEP interceptors that were parked beside her. _Wish I'd been flying one of those._

Holly glanced out the window a little longer, seeing a number of flight technicians and officers automatically securing the ship and making ready to receive her. She turned to retrieval team seven, who were waiting silently in the compartment.

"Wait for me here, this shouldn't take long," she ordered.

Without waiting for a response Major Holly Short climbed out of the shuttle's door, descending down the ramp as it deployed, and jumping to the tarmac when she found that the ramp wasn't descending fast enough.

"Major Short, what a pleasant surprise," greeted Commander Ivankov, who had been waiting since her landing. "What brings you here on the eve of the Geneva summit?"

"Good morning Commander," Holly replied, shaking his hand. "I was sent here at the last minute under Section 0's orders. Apparently there has been a lot of interference with communications as of late, and they wanted me to ensure that everything was going smoothly up here. They also added that I am to escort your delegation to uphold appearances for the human governments."

"I see," Borislav said impassively, frowning a little. "There have been issues with our comm links, my technicians are working to clear that up. Not to say that such has negatively affected our operation. In fact, my ships are ready and waiting to depart." He motioned to the transports idling in the distance. "I was just about to retrieve my superiors. They are just ironing out some last-minute details."

The Commander looked to the security detail that had accompanied him to meet Holly. "At ease gentlemen, that won't be necessary." Turning his attention back to Holly, he motioned towards the corridor at the far end of the hangar. "Let's take a walk."

Holly followed him out of the hangar, noting with interest the number of fairy personnel who were working alongside their human counterparts. Whether they were LEP or privately contracted specialists, fairies had been working within the HCIC for months now. It was quite a sight, but it was a good one. It was what Holly hoped would be the outcome of the conference, and the future of the world. It was the only future.

"What do you think of all of this?" she asked Ivankov as they walked down the central corridor.

The man shrugged. "It is a bittersweet dilemma for me. I welcome the prospect of humanity and the People working together towards a future that is mutually bright, but that prospect is not without its perils. As you well know, the purpose of my job here was to ensure the secrecy of the People, because the majority of humanity was, and still is, not ready for such a discovery. Humans are afraid of the unknown, and distrustful towards that which they do not understand. The whole notion of another sentient race is something that many of us fantasize about, but also fear, because we have always attributed such a discovery with the possibility of hostility. Furthermore, as I have seen both in my days in the FSB and in current times, my kin are capable of terrible things, and some choose to do them out of their own free will, and even enjoy it. Such stains our image, and the apathy that so much of so called first-world society has towards the inequities in the world makes it worse." He shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his face. "We are still far away from becoming an ideal people, but what I do believe is that we have the desire and the inherent goodness in our hearts to reach that. There are always those who will try to hold the rest back, those who only care about profit, control, and hegemony, but I know from my time on this earth that most of us are good at heart, and only want what's best for the world. We just forget that sometimes."

"You're very optimistic," Holly noted aloud.

"I have to be," he replied. "What will a defeatist perception of this crisis accomplish? Only a self-fulfilling prophecy in which we all lose. No, I have to hope for the best, and believe it is possible, not only for myself but for the men and women under my command. To quote a saying, everything is possible; the impossible just takes a little longer."

Holly nodded, but frowned nonetheless. "What will you do if this fails? You'd have to choose between the People and your own kind."

"I refuse to believe that," he said immediately. "That choice is one that will damn me regardless of the decision. Picking sides only makes enemies; being a mediator can make friends out of all sides, and perhaps prevent confrontation." He looked down to her, his expression firm. "I may have failed my original mission, but I make it my new purpose to ensure that this goes no further than it has. If it is the last thing I do, I will see to it that there is peace between our kinds."

The two of them progressed down the corridor of the facility's command level, passing the control room and numerous administrative sections. They were nearing the council chamber, where the powerful ministers were conferring.

"Still," Borislav said suddenly. "Something just doesn't feel right about any of this. We know nothing about those who exposed the People to humanity, and little effort has been put into finding them. I have sent out agents to probe for leads, but they have all come back empty handed. Whatever group is behind all of this is not only powerful, but also exceptional at the art of deception and concealment. I believe that they are trying to gain something from a potential war between our races, and I believe that they are hiding in plain sight."

That made Holly furious, remembering the fact that the People's existence had been purposefully leaked. It was terrible, absolutely terrible, that someone should perceive that as a potential means to an end, or a worthy venture. It was madness! Holly clenched her fists despite herself, gritting her teeth. For now she had to focus on negotiating with the humans, but she was determined to go after those behind the leak. She would devote all of her power as a Major to take them down, and to make them pay for what they tried to do.

_But who could it be? Who has the capacity for such an act, and the will to do it?_ She could think of no one, and that was a great cause for concern. With no leads, and only extrapolation as her tool, she could not find them. That made her eyes smolder. _Not yet at least. But I will, and when I do I will give them one hell of a smackdown._

They walked for another minute, after which they reached the ultra-secure area allotted to the ministers. Borislav didn't need to say anything to the guards who controlled entry to the area; he was the chief of security, and thus had the highest clearance, and such also covered Holly so long as she was in his company.

"And here we are," the man said, coming to a halt. They were at the end of the corridor, where a heavy alloy door loomed. Embossed in it was the seal of the HCIC, as well as a coat of arms that no doubt represented those who were beyond it.

"This won't take long," Commander Ivankov assured, nearing the door and procuring his clearance card for the scanner. "Actually, this will be interesting. You may not know this, but my superiors have actually never been seen by a fairy before, for anonymity's sake. Because of recent developments, however, such secrecy is not only impossible, but also counterproductive."

Holly cocked a brow. "Are they sticklers for formality, because I'm in a hurry."

Borislav grinned a little. "Only when it matters. They are quite relaxed otherwise. Now, come and meet my most esteemed compatriots."

He placed his card on the scanner, which flashed green in response. After a retinal and thumbprint scan as well, there came a soft beep from the door. The sound of automatic locks and other security measures deactivating lasted for a few seconds, and then, with no sound at all, the door began to open.

"Follow my lead," Borislav said as he started towards the opening door. Holly followed silently, but she did not get very far.

There was a blinding flash of light, followed by a wall of fire and an appalling eruption of sound as the room ahead of her exploded outward, the entire wall—blast door included—giving way to a tide of destruction. All of this happened in the span of a split-second, overloading her senses in an instant, filling her head with pain as her nerves transmitted the horrid sensations. There was no time to react, no time to even scream. Holly could do nothing as she was picked up by the blast wave and thrown to the ground, landing on her back with tremendous force as fire and shrapnel filled the air like a swarm of locusts. The world around her was suddenly muffled and blurred, the ringing of her ears the only sound, and a sloppy mixture of fiery colors the only sight. She couldn't think, feel, or discern anything for the longest of moments, her entire body and mind thrown into disorientation by the blast.

_Get up! You have to get up!_ Her iron core screamed.

Holly blinked back involuntary tears, her eyes wide as she slowly and shakily pulled herself off of the floor. She could hear muffled sounds, but she paid no attention to them; it was impossible to focus. She finally got to her feet, only to stumble about, her legs suddenly flimsy and weak. Fire and smoke choked the air, and debris littered the floor. Blood and charred gore was spread at her feet. She coughed, hearing nothing of the reflex, but feeling a sudden jolt a pain in her side. It made her wince, but that too was a reflexive response; she was still drifting in the terrible moment of mental and physical shock. It was when she heard a voice yelling in her ear, and a hand pulling her back, that she began to regain her senses. She suddenly remembered who she was, why she was there, and what had just happened. It hit her harder than the explosion, and at that moment all of the sounds, smells, and sights came back in terrible clarity. It was terrible in its suddenness; the sound of sirens and distant explosions; the smell of fire, burnt flesh, and fear; the sight of total chaos and ruin.

"Holly!"

She spun around to see Commander Ivankov leaning against the wall a few feet from her. He was a total mess, his face smeared with blood and grime, and his body lacerated in a dozen places. But he was alive.

"Are you alright?" he rasped.

Holly was still fighting back the disorientation, but she was nearly in full control. "I think so," she said, but then coughed up blood. Looking down she saw a small piece of metal jammed into her upper chest, no doubt piercing a lung. Her magic was swirling around the wound, but it couldn't heal with the shrapnel in it. She gritted her teeth, and with a single yank pulled it out. It clattered to the floor, and as it did she cried out in pain; it hurt, a lot. But even such pain ended quickly as her magic went to work, sealing the wound and mending the damage to her right lung.

With that done she rushed over the Borislav, who could barely stand. "Heal," she said as she put her hands on him, and after a moment of blue sparks whirling around his deep lacerations, she stopped.

"Thank you," he breathed, his voice ragged. Now able to move, he took a few steps towards what was left of the room before them. Nothing was left, actually; only a massive hole filled with searing flames and suffocating clouds of smoke. The charred remains of several people could be seen scattered about both in the rubble and in the corridor, and it made Holly sick.

"They're all dead…" Borislav said, his voice filled with disbelief. His face was contorted with warring measures of rage, despair, and dismay.

Holly was equally as distressed. What was happening? Who had attacked them? She grimaced as she considered the possibilities, but she didn't dwell on it any longer than it took her to draw her Neutrino.

"We have to move!" she yelled, her soldier's sense taking over. It was going mad. What was going on!?

Borislav said a silent apology to the dead, but nodded. "You're right, there is nothing more we can do here. We must get to the control room." He took out his communicator. "Command and control, this is Commander Ivankov, respond!" He waited for a long moment, and then tossed the device aside. "It's been jammed, let's hurry!"

They both started down the corridor, leaving the destruction behind.

"But first…" Borislav said as they rounded a corner. He immediately found a certain spot on the wall, and pushed a hidden button to reveal a hidden compartment. It opened into a small room, within which a small armory resided.

"There's some light LEP gear in here too, just in case," he said as he grabbed a set of combat gear, throwing it on over his ruined suit.

Holly quickly found the LEP suits, noting that they were more cut-down and simple models meant for militias, without features such as thermal imaging or stealth. _That will do_. She immediately put one on—her full dress uniform was not very combat worthy. The helmet went on last, its HUD lighting up and adjusting to fit her perfectly.

Both of them were ready in less than a minute, and as they left the armory they took up a few pulse rifles.

"Quickly," Borislav growled, powering the weapon up to full. He was angry, and Holly could tell by the look in his eyes that he was ready to kill. Unlike fairies, humans had a higher tolerance for such, at least in moments like this.

They rushed through the corridors, weapons at the ready. The ground shook as more explosions went off in the distance, some on the level they were on, others above or below. When they reached the command district there was total chaos. People were rushing in all directions, some armed and moving to wherever the conflict was, while others simply ran for their lives. The alert siren blared overhead, coupling dreadfully with the sound of explosions. It was the sound of war.

The two of them reached the command room in no time, bursting in with their rifles aimed. Thankfully, the room was still in friendly hands.

"What's our status? What they hell is going on!?" Commander Ivankov yelled as he stormed to the main terminals.

"The facility has been breached in fifty locations by an unknown enemy!" one of the security officers replied, working furiously at his station. "We've lost all contact with levels twenty through twenty-four, and we have reports of firefights on all other levels excluding this one!"

"Dammit!" Borislav growled, eying the virtual map of the facility, which was stained with red warning indicators. "Contact the LEP and all other allied groups. We need to warn them!"

"That's impossible sir, our communications were the first system to go. All other means of transmission have been jammed, and our links to external networks have been severed. Whoever is behind this has also hijacked our defense grid, and has disabled all countermeasures. We're in the dark and completely exposed."

Ivankov's visage twisted with anger as he thought, and he said nothing for a few moments.

"Activate the evacuation protocol," he finally said.

The officer turned to him, astonished. "Sir?"

"You heard me," Borislav replied. "This facility is lost. We must retreat and warn our allies, and hopefully figure out who is doing this." He paused for a moment, a look of despair crossing his face. "The ministers are dead."

Everyone in the room was looking at him with looks of terror. The ministers, the leaders of the HCIC, were no more, and the notion of giving up the HCIC headquarters was a difficult one to accept. The fact that their usually impassive commander was visibly distressed made it even worse.

"Do it!"

Everyone snapped back into focus, stopping what they were doing and activating the evacuation protocols. A new siren replaced he current one, and when everything was done the occupants of the room started to make their way out, grabbing firearms and moving with a sense of urgency.

Holly eyed the holographic map of the facility as everyone rushed past her. The enemy, whoever it was, had managed to breach one of the most advanced and secure facilities in the world without arousing any warning whatsoever. There were only a few select groups that could do that.

"Come, there isn't much time until they reach this area," she heard Ivankov say behind her.

"Yeah," she said absentmindedly, turning around to leave. That was when a shudder went through the facility, the ground trembling again as more explosions hammered its foundations. Holly instinctively looked up as several monitors came crashing down, and that was when she noticed it.

Up above her, streaming from the air vent, was a sudden burst of murky smoke. With a slight greenish hue to it, Holly knew immediately that it was not just smoke. _Oh gods_. She sealed her helmet, and at the same time yelled for those who still remained to get out. None of whom had helmets except for Borislav, and the gas descended upon them from every air vent, pouring out in such volume that it filled with room in moments. Holly could only watch with horror what happened next.

Those who couldn't escape the gas immediately began to cough, lose their motor skills, and eventually scream in agony. Holly stared, horrified as she watched them die. It was a terrible demise; their muscles spasming endlessly as they collapsed, convulsing and clutching at their throats with desperation, gurgling before dying of asphyxiation. This happened slowly, mercilessly, and left bodies strewn about in varying states of death. It was burned into her mind, and she knew immediately what they were up against.

"Nerve gas!" Holly exclaimed, doing her best not to vomit at the horrific carnage. She was safe, as was anyone else who had the proper headgear. But most didn't, for no one had been expecting it. Now she and Borislav stood alone in the command room, the only survivors amidst roughly two-dozen. It was appalling.

Holly felt sick, but she kept her mind on what could be done, not what had been failed to do. Turning around, she noticed Ivankov kneeling beside one of his men, who was still in the process of dying. He held the other man's hand until he went still.

"They will pay," he said after a moment, his voice filled with dark emotions. Getting to his feet, he shouldered his rifle, and indicated for Holly to follow.

They burst into the main corridor in unison, each covering one direction. The gas was present here as well, its deadly fumes casting a haze in the air. Bodies littered the expanse of the hallway, and the few soldiers who had had access to headgear were walking about in a daze, not knowing what to do after seeing so many die. Borislav got their attention, and managed to rally them to him.

"There's nothing we can do for them!" he told them. "We must get to the hangar bay, or who will be left to avenge them? Now go!"

The soldiers were distraught, and rightfully so, but they heeded his words. With about a dozen men accompanying them, Holly and Borislav rushed through the dying facility, the rumble of explosions and the crying of the dying haunting them as they went. They were about halfway to the hangar bay when the enemy attacked.

Seemingly out of nowhere came a flurry of laser blasts, the blue energy projectiles coming from directly behind them. Half of the soldiers were struck down before they could respond, and as everyone broke up and dashed for cover, even more were lost. Holly threw herself into an alcove, narrowly missing a searing bolt of energy. She watched as another soldier was hit, and she knew by the way he fell that it was a fatal shot. Energy weapons—fairy technology—were being used, and they were shooting to kill. It made her head spin, because that meant that it was likely that fairies were behind this, and that was a terrible realization. Who among the People could do this? The LEP could, but she knew it wasn't them. The People's security forces were not responsible for this, and if that was the case then who was? Holly cast aside the question as a laser bolt melted the edge of the corner she was hiding behind. It was time to get even.

Bringing her pulse rifle to bear, Holly aimed from the alcove and fired a barrage of energy bolts in the direction of the enemy, who were almost invisible due to the fog of nerve gas. They returned fire immediately, showering her position with lethal shots. Holly was still using stun as opposed to lethal rounds, while her enemy had their weapons set to the highest possible lethality, but she refused to be like them. She followed the People's rules of engagement for herself—not for her enemy. She wanted to retain who she was, not become a murderer, not unless she had to.

"Major, I'll cover you!" she heard Commander Ivankov yell from the other side of the corridor. She shouted her acknowledgement, and then realized that it was only him and her left. Everyone else was dead, gone just like that. It was a terrible realization, one that further compounded the anger and revulsion within her, but she had no time to process such emotions. Time was not on her side.

"Go! Go! Go!"

As Borislav provided covering fire, Holly threw herself into the fray, blasting into the mists as she backpedaled down the hall. When she was fifty feet ahead of her compatriot, she took up a secure position and then yelled for him to do the same. This process continued for several minutes, their slow but steady retreat carried out perfectly.

_Damn I wish I had thermals on this! _Holly thought as she backpedaled once again, narrowly avoiding the deadly shots that were coming at her. The enemy was hard to make out with the gas everywhere, the only indication of their presence being the swirls and disturbances caused by their advance. It was a total crap shoot, and that pissed her off.

"Switch!" Holly called out as she set up to provide covering fire.

The human commander responded immediately, moving from his cover and retreating towards her position, firing as he went. Their assailants returned fire, but such was kept to a minimum by Holly's suppressive fire, which was going downrange at over twenty rounds per second. Still, it was a nerve-racking experience.

_Come on, come on!_

The man was about halfway when a lucky shot struck him in the head. Holly gasped as it happened. The shot didn't hit him directly, but rather grazed off of the side of the headgear, but it was enough to break the seal on it and tear off its visor to boot, leaving him exposed to the nerve gas.

For Borislav it was a moment that played in slow motion, its implications truly crushing. But it was also a moment he had mentally prepared himself for, and now that it had happened he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. With laser blasts flying all around him, he stopped running. He could feel the nerve agent doing its work, even the little amount he had taken in before holding his breath; even a single whiff was enough, and this was far more.

"What are you doing, run!" Holly shouted out to him, still firing.

It was too late for that, and both of them knew it; one just couldn't accept it. His fate was already sealed. He was a dead man walking.

"Major!" he yelled, having moved to the side to slump against the wall, his strength already seeping from him. "I will buy you some time. Go without me!"

Holly refused to believe it. "No, we can still—"

"I'm already dead, Holly," he replied, his voice shaky with the effects of the gas, or maybe it was fear.

"I'm not leaving you behind!" she retorted, shooting one of the shadows that was advancing down the hall. It went down, and as it did she broke from her cover in an attempt to reach the dying man. Maybe she could use her magic; surely it would expel the nerve agent? She was stopped by a flurry of fire from the enemy, forcing her to retreat again. She glanced from her cover to see that Borislav had taken off his helmet, and was now looking her in the eye even from a distance.

"Go," he rasped. "Let me help you one last time. Let my death mean something." He noted Holly's firm refusal to run, and chuckled a little. "I have danced with death for most of my life. I was lucky to get this far, and believe me, I'm glad I got as much out of it as I did. But everyone runs out of time eventually. Everyone has to go someday."

He was running out of breath, and the effects of the gas were starting to take hold. Nonetheless, he managed to stand, and even shoulder his weapon. Aiming from his position once more, he gave Holly one last look, and that look finally broke her steadfast defiance. "Farewell, Holly," he said, and that was when he began to unload in the direction of the enemy, firing like a madman.

From where she was watching, Holly fought back her sorrow. He was giving her a chance, and if she didn't take it both of them would die. She felt terrible, but she knew that there was no other way. Shouldering her weapon, she gave him a few more volleys of covering fire—a metaphorical salute to the man—and then broke off, seeing his silhouette against the backdrop of nerve gas and energy blasts before turning her back on him.

_Farewell_.

She gritted her teeth as she ran away from the firefight, overcome with bitterness, anger, and sorrow. She knew that the shooting would stop soon, and she knew what that would mean. She could only hope that it was quick.

As the elf disappeared into the mists, Borislav felt a sense of relief, and went back to blasting everything that moved. He couldn't hold his breath any longer, and so as he held down the trigger, he gave into his body's reflex and took in a deep breath. The effects were immediate and excruciating, but he kept firing. He had to; it was his last mission, his last responsibility.

The enemy was advancing on him steadily, and it was clear that they would quickly surpass him and pursue Holly. Or so they thought.

"One last hurrah," the man rasped to himself, stepping out into the open, barely able to keep his footing with his muscles beginning to convulse. Out of sheer willpower he remained standing, and kept firing at the enemy, who had curiously ceased their efforts to shoot him—they were waiting for him to die, and they seemed to want him to go out the slow way. He had been counting on that.

His legs gave out after a moment, followed by his left arm, leaving only his right to hold and fire the heavy weapon. He did so for a little longer until that too gave out. As his rifle clattered to the floor, smoking from use, he couldn't fight it any longer. He remained on his knees, but everything within him was starting to fail, and a powerful feeling of finality was taking hold. The nerve agent would soon cause for his respiratory system to cease functioning, and that would mean death by asphyxiation. But that was alright, so long as he finished his task.

Clenching his fists—his hands were still partially functional—the trembling man knelt before his enemy as they advanced towards him, their footfalls getting louder and louder, like the toll of a church's bell on a dreary night. They appeared before him like ghosts, suddenly separating from the poison mists. There were easily thirty of them.

With his head drooping down, he could only see their boots, but that was enough. The sound of their footfalls was right upon him now, and their casual gait was infuriating—this lethal business was their norm. When all of the various footfalls ceased, leaving him surrounded, a single individual walked up to him, his sick chuckle transmitted over the speaker built into his headgear.

"Such a hopeless fool," he said, pressing a blaster up against Borislav's head, its barrel cold and unforgiving. "Any last words you foolish human?"

Borislav was almost dead, but he had one last spark left in him. Struggling with all of his might, he raised his head and locked eyes with his enemy, a threatening grin on his face.

"Go to hell!"

His assailant didn't let him say anything more, shooting him in the head at point blank with the blaster, decisively ending his life. As the man collapsed onto the floor, the gathering of merciless operatives laughed, mocking the fallen man. Their leader turned to them, waving his blaster around with a grin.

"And I thought I was crazy!"

All of them were quite amused, but that changed when they noticed something. As their victim had collapsed to the floor, his fists had unclenched, allowing for the unpinned grenades he had been clutching to roll onto the floor, right up to the hostile squad leader's feet. It was too late for them to react, for the man they laughed at had timed it perfectly. Even in death, there was a smile on his face—Borislav knew he would have the last laugh.

The HE grenades went off with a resounding boom, filling the entire area with a wall of shrapnel, concussive force, and flames. The entire group of hostile operatives was killed instantly, and the already destabilized roof of the corridor gave way, sending tons of metal and stone crashing down, crushing those who were converging on the scene and denying any others the opportunity to pursue their other target.

Holly heard and felt the blast when it happened, and at that moment she knew he was gone. Fighting back tears, she kept on running, knowing that failure would not only jeopardize the safety of the People, but also the memory of those who gave their lives so that she could escape with hers. Focusing on her breathing and the path ahead, Holly shut out the debilitating emotions that were trying to fill her mind. She was running away—she hated doing that. But staying meant only death, and that would do nothing to improve the situation. It was a choice between fight or flight, and there was no time for anything but flight.

**United Nations Office, Geneva**

It was a favorable morning in Switzerland's iconic city, the blue sky dotted with a few clouds as the sun hung over the distant horizon, its rays dancing off of Lac Léman in a dazzling display. Such was all well and good, but for Secretary-General Takashi Miyamoto it was only relevant in that it brightened his day a little, and helped stave off the apprehension that had been bothering him since he had woken up. There were much greater things to consider than the charming weather, such as the historic conference that was about to begin.

Standing in his office, Takashi peered out the window for a little longer, collecting himself and banishing his anxiety. When he turned around he was all business, thinking critically about the matter at hand.

The summit in New York had been an interesting experience—chaotic at first, but eventually productive—and it had resulted in some very uncommon agreements. Everyone present was concerned about these fairies, though for a wide variety of reasons. But they all shared the fear of being threatened by them; of no longer being on the top of the global food chain. For some it was a threat to their pride and power, while for others it was a matter of protecting the people they represented. Regardless of their motivations, every head of state voiced their desire to deal with this new race, and suggestions ranged from peace-talks to full blown war. Evidently most people were not interested in conflict, especially when the stakes were so high. Even those that were not on the best of terms, like the delegations from The United States and Iran, had mutually agreed that military action was not wise. In the end the resolution vote was tremendously in favor of engaging in talks with the People.

The whole matter made Takashi shake his head. It was a nice change that the people who were usually divided were postponing their issues with one another and focusing on a larger one. However, the resulting desire for diplomacy was not without precautions. Everyone agreed that there was the possibility of conflict, and as a result of that all member states were doing everything in their power to discretely consolidate their armed forces and prepare for a potential war. The word was not out yet, but it was easy enough to ramp up arms production and conduct drills under the pretense of international cooperation and security. Some citizens didn't buy it, but Takashi knew for a fact that none of them were thinking it was a conspiracy about fairies. Sometimes the ridiculousness of a situation was its best means of disguise.

He checked his watch, noting that it was almost noon. The conference was scheduled to convene in less than twenty minutes. It was hard not to wonder how it would go. It was going to be an interesting experience regardless, but what he was worried about was the _kinetic_ aspect. If something went wrong there would be a whole lot of trouble, and it would snowball into a total catastrophe. Still, they had prepared for that. Though Switzerland was a neutral country, and tried to uphold such an image by not mustering excessive amounts of military hardware to lock down the conference, it did not leave itself defenseless. The ADR10—a detachment of Swiss special forces operators—was being deployed around the facility, along with members of the regular army and air-defense corps. Furthermore, other nations had taken active steps to provide security from outside the borders of Switzerland. Geneva was right on the border with France, and as a result of that there were four French airbases and dozens of air defense batteries within range, and beyond those there were numerous NATO military installations within striking distance. NATO AWACs were already in the air, and defense satellites had been repositioned to monitor the situation. The naval battle group that had been conducting "exercises" in the Gulf of Lion, just off the coast of Southern France, was also capable of projecting military power. It numbered at over thirty warships, including one Italian and two American aircraft carriers, and had no shortage of long-range cruise missiles. There was a lot of hardware waiting on standby, with enough firepower to conduct a large engagement. Hopefully none of that would be necessary.

The UN's Secretary-General went over a few documents in silence, but everything he read was something he already knew. In reality he was just burning time; distracting himself as he waited for the inevitable knock on his door. It came sooner than expected.

"Come in," he said, putting the documents aside.

An army officer, the one who had been posted outside, appeared in a hurry. Takashi already knew what he was going to say—he could tell by the look on his face. The man's words confirmed it.

"Secretary-General, I just got word from High Command. They're here."

**Outside the United Nations Office**

Artemis Fowl peered out the viewport as the LEP shuttle descended towards its destination. Geneva stretched out before him, a truly beautiful city, one that he had always liked in a way. But such didn't matter now, when the fate of the world hung by a thread, much of it depending on what happened in the conference that was now upon them. Artemis thought intensely as the ship came in for a landing, still in stealth mode so as to not alert the locals.

The others that were with him were just as silent as he was. Commander Kelp sat in the copilot's seat, eying the looming UN office, and his retrieval team was doing final gear checks. Quan was impassively leafing through a few written documents, familiarizing himself with some pertinent material. But the Butlers were the most stoic of all, gone into complete bodyguard mode. Dressed in their impeccable suits, armed to the teeth, and wearing purposefully intimidating shades, they were not a duo to be messed with.

Artemis studied the ground below as it got closer and closer. The UN compound had been cordoned off from the general public, and it was clear by the number of security personnel that no prying eyes would be getting in. A number of military vehicles were parked within the compound, and uniformed figures were evident in numerous positions, including a few sniper teams on the roofs of nearby buildings. He could also see the area that had been prepared for them to land at, which was enclosed near the center of the compound, purposefully hidden between several large buildings.

"Take us in" Trouble told the pilot, eying the ground analytically.

The shuttle was slowly brought down towards the landing area, which was explicitly designated. Keeping the shuttle steady, the pilot descended past the impressive buildings that surrounded the landing zone, and smoothly landed the craft upon the ground. Once the shuttle had come to a full stop, Trouble gave a nod to the pilot, who promptly deactivated the ship's stealth systems. To the guards stationed around the landing area it would seem as though the advanced aircraft had materialized out of nowhere; no doubt a few openly cursed in surprise.

"If you have any final preparations to make, now is the time," Trouble said to those in the compartment.

"I think we're all as ready as can be," Quan stated calmly, seeming perfectly at ease despite the looming conference. "Is that a fair assumption Artemis?"

The prodigy smiled slightly. "Fair indeed."

Trouble nodded. "We'll be moving out shortly, once their delegation arrives to receive us. I do believe we took them by surprise."

Artemis nodded in concurrence, setting his eyes on the view from the cockpit. Even now he could see a few officers rushing into the main building, no doubt to retrieve those who would receive them. So far everything was going smoothly, with no apparent errors being made on either side. However, there was one thing that was really getting to him, and that was Holly.

"The HCIC delegation hasn't arrived yet, nor has Holly and her team," he noted aloud. What could possibly be taking them so long, especially when Holly had been sent to ensure that they arrived on time?

"I've been on the line with Foaly," Trouble replied, sounding concerned. "We have had no communications from them at all apart from a message stating that they had just received Holly and were going to depart shortly. Their lines became scrambled after that. It seems that the interference that has been affecting their systems for a few days has only gotten worse. Foaly is trying to ascertain what is going on, which so far seems to be a product of electromagnetic discharges from successive magma flares. Hopefully their last message was accurate."

"Regardless, it is a cause for concern," Butler growled.

"A concern that we will have to tolerate," Artemis said reluctantly. "There is no going back from this conference now. We have to move forward. They will arrive when they arrive, and we should not make a bad impression by forcing the world leaders to wait."

He didn't like it, but they had no choice in the matter. A glance out the window confirmed that they had already run out of time. The human delegation had just left the building to meet them; a gathering of but a few men in suits and a dozen armed guards. Artemis assumed that the United Nations Secretary-General was one of them.

Seeing the approaching group, Commander Kelp adjusted his uniform's collar just a little, and removed himself from the copilot seat.

"Time to get this meeting started. Retrieval team four, you will remain here to guard the ship and secure an extraction point if need be. Remember, do not do anything that can be perceived as a threat. Remain calm and remember the briefing." He then turned to the others. "Now how about we introduce ourselves?"

Artemis waited by the exit as everyone else made ready to leave. When they were all gathered and looking their finest, Commander Kelp nodded to the pilot, who pressed a few buttons and silently gave them a thumbs up.

"Here we go," Artemis said as the door opened, with it coming the warm, fresh air of the world beyond.

It was an intense moment as the portal opened fully, and the ramp extended from the ship to the path on which their hosts waited. Both sides could see each other clearly now, and they studied one another accordingly. Artemis noted the lack of any commotion. There were no cameras, reporters, or even onlookers; no cheesy welcome signs or vibrant ceremonies. This wasn't the generic perception of first-contact that many had. This was reality, and reality entailed the presence of just the two parties, secrecy, and a lot of armed security.

One may think that such a moment would be one of astonished looks and exclamations, but it was no such thing. Everyone was calm and showed no overreaction to what they saw. The humans didn't even bat an eye as Commander Kelp led his delegation down the ramp, walking confidently up to the man who was evidently of the highest position.

"I am Commander Trouble Kelp, Commander in Chief of the Lower Elements Police and representative of the People's council," Trouble said cordially.

"Takashi Miyamoto, Secretary-General of the United Nations. It is a pleasure to finally meet you," the man replied with a smile—it was impossible to tell whether it was real or forced.

"The feeling is mutual."

They shook hands, and in doing so made the history books. After shaking hands Trouble motioned to Quan.

"Allow me to introduce our most accomplished warlock. He is wise beyond even his many thousands of years."

The two greeted each other, and then it was Artemis' turn.

"And I believe you have already heard of Artemis Fowl the Second. He was the first of your kind to make contact with us in thousands of years. He has saved our people on multiple occasions, and is one of the People's greatest allies."

Miyamoto shook the young man's hand. "I've heard a lot about you Artemis Fowl. I have to say that your extensive humanitarian research is truly impressive. It comes as no surprise to me that you are also a bridge between our kind and the People."

Artemis used his more innocent smile. "Thank you, Secretary-General. I also admire your work, especially your most current efforts in arranging this conference. It must not have been an easy task."

"It was quite an experience," the man agreed. He then shifted his attention back to Commander Kelp. "Now that you're here, would you allow me to escort you to the assembly room? The conference is set to begin momentarily. There are many people who would like to meet you, and there is much to discuss."

"I would be honored."

The delegation was led away from the shuttle towards the main building. The air was fresh and the sound of the trees in the breeze was soothing, but none of it eased the worry that was within Artemis' mind. So far the meeting had gone well—both sides had greeted each other with the generic level of diplomatic enthusiasm, and they were well on their way to the conference itself. But there was the looming problem of the missing delegation, and the LEP Major that was with them. Looking up at the sky, Artemis wondered where they were; where she was.

_Holly, where are you?_

**HCIC Headquarters **

_I have to warn them. I have to warn Artemis!_

Holly dodged falling debris as another explosion shook the very foundation of the facility. Smoke clogged the corridor, but thankfully the nerve gas had dissipated almost completely. She had not been intercepted by any more hostile forces, not since Commander Ivankov had destroyed the last group and simultaneously cut off their. The thought made her grimace. So many had died already, and she could do nothing about it. Such powerlessness made her furious, but she knew that she couldn't turn around and go head to head with the enemy. They were well equipped and organized, and they showed no mercy. Trying to defeat them now would likely get her killed, and that was the last thing she wanted. She had a responsibility; a duty to fulfill. She had to live in order to get as many people out of the facility as possible, as well as warn Artemis and the others.

Running with her pulse rifle at the ready, Major Short rushed through the burning corridor, doing her best to ignore the countless bodies strewn about. Death was all around her, and it brought her back to the terrible war that had been fought a year ago. One always wishes that the present conflict would be the last one; that their life can be lived in peace from then on. Such was not the case, and Holly knew that it would likely never be the case. War and peace were but two sides of the same coin, and it only took so many tosses to land it.

She was nearing the hangar bay when the ceiling above her caved in. She threw herself forward, dropped her rifle as debris rained down around her. Whether it was by luck or skill, Holly managed to escape being crushed, but not without losing her main weapon. Scowling angrily, she drew her Neutrino and pressed onward towards the growing sound of engines and commotion.

The hangar appeared out of the smoke almost instantly. She had emerged from the main corridor, and was now within what was probably the last place that remained in allied hands. She took in her surroundings with tactical precision.

The hangar bay was filled with activity as the facility's personnel evacuated. Noncombat personnel were the first to load into the numerous transports and multi-role aircraft, while security forces—both fairy and human—secured all entrances to the area. The tunnel leading to the vehicle lot was awash with fire and debris, cutting off any escape from the facility's aboveground exit. That left only the magma chutes, and such was the reason for the enormous number of aircraft powering up and loading passengers.

"Major Short!" someone called out. Holly looked; it was a human officer, followed by retrieval team seven. The human—a master-sergeant—rushed up to her.

"Major, we're pulling out as per the Commander's orders. The hangar is the only area we still have under control, but all of our scanning systems were fried. We don't know how many we're up against, or whether they have compromised the escape route."

Holly kept moving, her eyes on the situation ahead. "There's no choice we have but to run. I suggest you do so as well master-sergeant."

The man stood still behind her, brandishing his pulse rifle. "Myself and the rest of the security team will wait until Commander Ivankov arrives. We're not leaving without him."

Holly stopped, but she didn't turn to look at the man—she did not want to reveal her frightening expression. "Ivankov's dead. He took a whole squad of those bastards with him." She started walking again. "He bought us some time. Let's not waste that."

She could hear the man stutter with disbelief, and subsequently relay the word amongst his subordinates. He sounded devastated, but he did his duty and began to pull his men back.

Holly nodded at team seven as they took up escort positions around her, their weapons at the ready.

"Corporal," she growled, looking to one of the officers, "Any breakthrough with the communications?"

The elf shook his head. "Everything is down. I'm talking full blackout and extensive electronic warfare. For those in Haven there is no way of telling what is happening here, not unless they send a recon team."

It was as worse as she thought. Again, the capabilities of the enemy seemed to be on par with the LEP, if not even greater. It further enhanced the dread within her, but she kept her focus on the task at hand.

"Corporal, I want you to take your team back to Haven. Do whatever it takes to get the message back to the LEP."

"What about you Major?"

Holly narrowed her eyes. "I'll be taking a more direct approach."

She eyed the LEP interceptors that were lined up before her. A few of them were being powered up by the LEP garrison that resided at the facility, but the rest were unused. Being the extraordinary pilot that she was, Holly immediately identified the fastest and most reliable one amongst them. After parting ways with team seven, she rushed up to the craft. By now most of the evacuating personnel had loaded into their ships, leaving just the security teams to pull back. Dozens of aircraft were lifting off, with the transports slowly lumbering towards the closed blast door—which was now opening—while numerous gunships covered them.

Holly climbed into the cockpit of the interceptor, and as its systems booted up, she glanced over to the hangar's command and control tower. It was the timeliest glance ever, as at that precise moment the entire structure exploded, showering smoldering debris all over the place as the tower collapsed onto a group of loaded transports. The blast was horrendous, and immediately thereafter a squadron of HCIC gunships strafed the area behind it, engaging the enemy forces that had breached the perimeter.

"Time to go," Holly growled, turning her attention back to the controls. She quickly bypassed all of the safety procedures, and powered up the engines. The craft lifted off almost immediately, and a few seconds later she was hovering over the hangar. From her vantage point she could see that everyone was now loaded up, and only a few aircraft remained on the ground. As they lifted off, she took up a defensive position alongside them, noting that RET7 was right ahead of her. Without thinking she tried to open a channel to them, but quickly realized that everything was hopelessly jammed. Damn all of the electronic warfare these monsters had at their disposal!

The combined fleet of the evacuating ships numbered at roughly fifty; a number had been left behind due to the fact that roughly sixty-percent of the facility's personnel had already been killed. The remaining forty-percent were now moving towards the magma chute, the well memorized evac protocol making it so that even without communications they could form up and proceed in an organized fashion.

With the enormous blast door now fully open, they could enter the chute with ease. Holly gunned her ship forward, taking point ahead of the rest of the fleet. Whatever threats awaited them she would face head on.

The fleet cleared the hangar bay without issue, and entered the cave unchallenged. The magma chute ahead was several kilometers wide, but the access tunnel that the HCIC facility used was only a few hundred meters across. With lights on all sides of the tunnel it was easy to make towards the opening, though the fleet had to slow down due to congestion.

Holly gripped the controls under the stress of the enclosed space—if there was a moment to attack them, it was now, when their ships were in a very close formation. They had to clear it, and fast.

They were about halfway through when a series of massive explosions ripped along the sides of the tunnel, showering stone and shaking the earth. Holly's eyes went wide when she realized what was happening. The entire tunnel—untold tons of bedrock—had been rigged to explode. Now it was coming down upon them, a wall of death that would crush everything that was caught beneath it.

"D'Arvit!" Holly screamed as massive pieces of stone plunged past her ship, small bits hammering against the cockpit's canopy. She kept control of the ship even as it shuddered under the impacts, and as she did she realized the dreadful reality behind her. The ships tailing her had broken formation, and were doing their best to evade the shower of devastating debris, but such was impossible given their tight formation. Explosions filled the air as transports were skewered by the falling stone, smashed to pieces before plunging to their doom, the lives of their passengers ended with brutal certainty. Others were hit by their own comrades, the sudden chaos causing for their pilots to panic, their attempts to avoid being crushed only leading to them slamming into their comrades. Holly swore as this happened, gripping the controls as she evaded her own death.

_Come on, get out! We have to get out of here!_

Everyone had opened up to full throttle, blasting through the tempest of falling stone in a last ditch effort to escape. Holly weaved through the destruction, a number of ships right on her tail. She could only curse as more were destroyed, her inability to do anything about it driving her to bite her lip in utter rage, drawing blood. She set her eyes on the exit ahead, a beacon of hope, and pushed her ship to its limits. Behind her the entire roof of the cave had given way, sealing the passageway with a resounding crash. Massive chunks of stone flew everywhere, but Holly managed to avoid them—a few unlucky pilots didn't. The danger dissipated as they neared the main chute. Holly glanced over her shoulder, confirming her fears. Only twenty ships had made it, including RET7's shuttle. It was a small number compared to those who could have survived, but such was the harshness of reality. Gritting her teeth, Holly turned her attention back to the chute ahead, and as she did so she activated the ship's weapons systems. She knew it wasn't over; the enemy had been far too thorough to allow for her to assume anything else. She saw nothing ahead of them, but looks were deceiving. With her fingers hovering over the fire controls, Holly pressed forward, and that was when they attacked.

The ships appeared directly ahead of them, materializing out of thin air like angels of death. There were ten of them, and they were like nothing Holly had ever seen before. Sleek and bristling with weapons, the fighters were completely black, and were of such impressive design that it was immediately apparent that they were likely on par or even more deadly than the ship Holly was flying now. She only had a few seconds to take all of this in, as a split second later the air was filled with weapons fire.

The enemy squadron unloaded with a truly appalling volume of fire, unleashing hundreds of high-powered laser blasts and dozens of missiles. Holly evaded the deadly barrage of lasers, while her ship's countermeasures threw off the missiles that were locked onto her. Explosions filled the air the few gunship and interceptors in the HCIC remnants returned fire, breaking formation to engage the enemy while the transports tried to avoid confrontation. Their efforts were almost pointless, as the enemy ships blasted forward and, while avoiding every single shot that was fired at them, tore into their prey.

Holly glared at the enemy as they shredded the transports to pieces, and decimated the resistance that the few remaining attack craft made. She was being tailed by an enemy fighter, and so she could do little to assist her allies. Bringing her ship into a steep dive, Holly sought to shake her opponent. The enemy remained on her tail, even as she bottomed out at the floor of the tunnel, narrowly avoiding striking the surface.

"These monsters are well trained!" she remarked through clenched teeth as laser blasts flew past her. Above she could see that her allies were terribly outmatched. Only a few ships remained, and they were currently being dismantled. RET7's shuttle was blasting through it all, its afterburner glowing hot as it made an attempt to escape the losing battle and warn the LEP. Holly knew she had to cover them; they were defenseless in such a bulky ship. Noting the enemy behind her, she pushed her ship to a ridiculous speed, going straight up towards the dogfight. Her enemy was right on her tail, and her console blared as a missile lock was made on her. She only grinned dangerously.

"That's right, come right after me!"

When the hostile ship was right on her tale, Holly suddenly swerved to the side and reversed her ship's propulsion while activating every flap. The resulting reduction in speed tugged at her relentlessly, but she ignored it. Instead she set her eyes on the enemy ship that shot past her; clearly its pilot's reaction time wasn't as good as hers. Holly quickly set after it, noting the viper insignia on the black ship's wing.

"So you're a viper huh? Then allow me to be the eagle!" Holly growled, eyes smoldering as she closed in on her enemy. It tried to evade her, but it was hopeless. Even without a proper flight helmet Holly had him padlocked, and as she opened fire, she shouted out with vituperation. "Alpha mike foxtrot!" (Pilot slang for adios mother f***er).

Letting lose a withering barrage of cannon fire, Holly literally tore the enemy fighter in half, sending its nearly symmetrical pieces spiraling into the side of the tunnel. She didn't even blink as it exploded, despite the fact that she had likely killed its pilot. In aerial combat such as this it was kill or be killed.

With that bandit taken care of, Holly pulled her fighter into a high-G turn, bringing herself around to assist her allies. She swore when she realized that no one was left except for her and RET7. Everyone, the entire HCIC, had been eliminated. Holly didn't dwell on it now; she could still save someone. Blasting towards the enemy, who were converging on RET7's shuttle, she locked onto them and sent forth a dozen missiles. The hostile ships deployed countermeasures immediately, and covered each others tails by shooting down any of the missiles that neared their comrades. None of them met their mark, but Holly wasn't done. While they had been busy dealing with her missiles, she had closed the distance between them and her, and was now right on top of two of the bandits. They had no time to break formation, as the moment they realized their mistake Holly had already littered them full of holes.

_Scratch two. _

The other hostile craft had veered off the flank her, while two remained tailing the LEP shuttle. They had already landed a few hits on it, but such was not enough to bring it down.

"Hold on you guys!" Holly said, holding down the trigger and hammering the enemies that tailed them. The two bandits evaded the shots, but were forced to break off or risk being torn asunder. As they did so, Holly felt her ship shudder. _D'Arvit!_ She thought, taking evasive action. The rest of the enemy craft were on her tail—five versus one. The other two had also ceased trying to pursue RET7, opting to come at Holly from several other angles. It was fine by her, because her first priority was to see that RET7 made it out alive. She could handle the enemies once she no longer had to watch out for her own.

_Good luck. _She thought as she watched them make it into the magma chute. But then, just as they appeared to be clear, a flurry of rockets plunged into RET7 from above, tearing the ship apart in one fiery explosion that ended the lives of her colleagues. As the ship's flaming debris disappeared into the magma chute, Holly felt a flood of dark emotions enter her heart. She had failed completely; failed to save even a single life. Over a thousand people had died, including close friends from the HCIC and RET7, and she had been powerless to stop it. By the gods did it hurt, like a glowing coal upon her skin! Such pain was channeled into her loathing for the enemy she saw now, especially those who had just lit up RET7. A trio of ships came into view—they had been lying in wait for anyone who escaped the tunnel. Even with seven nearly on top of her, Holly had her eyes on those three alone.

"You bastards!" she yelled, locking onto them and switching her afterburners to maximum. Her ship shot forward so fast that the two groups of ships closing in on her almost shot each other by accident, and even once they realized what had happened they could not possibly catch up in time. Holly shouted in anger as she lit up the three enemy ships, who seemed utterly surprised by her sudden recklessness. The first one was decimated by a volley of laser rounds, while the second took a direct hit from one of her missiles. The third, clearly being piloted by a very confident individual, charged right at her, opening up with its blasters. Holly returned the favor. As they both barreled down upon one another, each craft took multiple hits, but neither was destroyed. It was when they were right on top of each other—at the moment when they would have to veer off to avoid a collision—when Holly pulled off her aviator magic. Manipulating the numerous flaps and thrusters in a split-second decision, she turned the ship on a ninety-degree angle to point directly at the passing enemy. She drifted at that odd angle, all the while firing away with her ship's four cannons. The enemy ship had no chance. With an eruption of fire the bandit was utterly destroyed, hit exactly fifty-seven times in less than a second. Holly felt no satisfaction in doing it—she felt numb after all that had happened. But she nevertheless flipped off the burning wreck as it exploded behind her.

"That's for retrieval team seven!" she growled, switching her attention to the remaining enemies. Her daredevil tactics had worked, but they had also infuriated the remainder of the 'Viper' squadron. The seven remaining ships charged after her, arranging themselves in a textbook battle-spread formation.

"I don't have time for this!" Holly rasped, seeing them coming. She was the only survivor, and thus it fell to her to warn the others. She had to get out of range of their ECM and alert the LEP. But she couldn't do that with seven hostile fighters on her tail. Now that she was in the wide open area of the magma chute there was the opportunity to run, but judging by the damage she had sustained, she wouldn't be able to outrun them. She had to get rid of them another way.

_And I know exactly how._

With the seven ships barreling down on her, Holly nosedived into the chute, heading straight down and putting her afterburner to full. The sound barrier broke in no time, and soon she was well past Mach 3. So were her pursuers. Holly could feel the G-forces tugging against her, but she was used to it by now, and knew how to cope with it. Pushing the ship even faster, she felt an involuntary grin work its way across her face—the one she always had when she went this fast. However, such a thrill was negated by the laser blasts flying all around her, and the missiles constantly seeking her out. She couldn't do this for long, but she didn't have to either.

Holly had made a point to memorize the chute activity for the day, at first thinking that it may affect the delegation. Now it was something to use against a brutal enemy. Based on Foaly's report, a magma flare was supposed to go through this stretch of tunnel any moment. She could already see its glow in the depths below, and as it grew she couldn't help but glance to see if the enemy was still crazy enough to chase her. They apparently were.

Maxing out her speed, and going way past the ship's design limits, Holly went straight towards the approaching flare. Such an insane action was called "hell diving" by other pilots. It was outlawed due to being so ridiculously stupid, as well as for resulting in copious amounts of wear and tear on LEP interceptors. Holly did it anyway, and now her practice with it was about to pay off. She grinned dangerously. _Time to play chicken with some bandits and a magma flare._

With the seven fighters closing in on her fast, Holly spiraled down towards the approaching wall of magma, fire, and hot gas. It was already increasing the cabin temperature, but she ignored it.

_Not yet..._

The enemy ships started to falter, but they remained on her tail, determined to kill her. Holly was sweating now due to the heat.

_Not yet!_

The magma flare was nearly upon her; it loomed before her like the fires of hell itself. But she kept going, knowing exactly what to do and when to do it.

Behind her then seven hostile ships had suddenly begun to turn around. They had chickened out, and were now making an effort to escape. That made Holly grin. The whole purpose of hell-diving was not to outrun a magma flare—such was impossible—but rather get out of its way. Those seven bandits were as good as dead.

_Almost there!_ Holly thought as she spiraled towards the flare. Its outer edges were beginning to eat away at the ship's exterior, and the heat was almost unbearable. A few seconds passed, and that was when she reached the point she had been looking for.

_Now!_

She turned the ship on a dime, the maneuver blasting her with enormous amounts of G-force as she throttled the engine so that the ship would move towards the chute wall. She held on for dear life, barely avoiding blacking out, and sure enough she saw it. In the chute wall was a small tunnel—an abandoned shaft. With the magma flare now on top of her, Holly made a final push to reach the safety of the tunnel. She reached it with the wall of magma clipping the rear of her ship, but that was nothing compared to what her enemies were going to get. Even as she disappeared into the tunnel, she caught a glimpse of the enemy trying to outrun the flare, only to be caught in its grip and incinerated. It was a terrible way to die, but Holly couldn't muster much sympathy for them. They had slaughtered her friends and allies without mercy and for no apparent reason. If you live by the sword you die by the sword, or in this case by the magma flare.

Even still, it had been close; she had never taken it that far. But she was alive, and that's all that mattered at the moment. Setting her ship into idle, she waited out the magma flare. It only took a few minutes to pass, and once it had she left the tunnel and returned to the chute. As she did so she checked her systems, knowing that the first thing to do was contact Foaly. It was to her dismay that she realized that all of her communication systems had been fried by the flare, along with all stealth and ECM.

"D'Arvit!" she rasped, banging the console. Now she had only one option. Haven was too far away—Geneva was far closer, and it was also far more pertinent. The attack on the HCIC was a clear indicator that something even more terrible was happening, and it was most likely going to take place there. _Artemis, Trouble, Quan, Butler, Juliet. _They were all there, along with the representatives of every nation on the planet. It was a perfect target for anyone who wanted to cause a war.

Holly's grip tightened around the controls. She had to get there; she had to warn them! As the last survivor of the attack on the HCIC it was not only her desire, but also her ultimate responsibility. The only reason she was alive was because others had died to get her there. Commander Ivankov, the entire HCIC, RET7; all of them were now gone, leaving her to carry out their final wishes. Holly felt sadness mixed with an iron will wash through her. _I will not let you all down. Your deaths will not be in vain, I promise._ She brought her ship to face upward, and with an iron expression launched the ship towards the distant summit. _I'm sorry for what happened, to all of you. I failed, but I refuse to let that happen again. I will stop them, I will bring down those who destroyed us. Even if it means the end of my life, I will finish this._

Holly made this her strongest goal—her new purpose. With that responsibility ingrained within her very soul, the elf pushed the ship as hard as she could, blasting up the magma chute with such speed and ferocity that she could have been a shooting star.

"Hold on Artemis, I'm coming," she whispered, her eyes fierce. "Please hold on."

The LEP interceptor flew through the chute, passing the smoldering wreckage of the HCIC, and continuing up into the darkness that waited above, the blue glow of the ship's afterburners illuminating the way like the guiding light of an angel. Soon she was gone, disappeared into the far distance just as a star fades in the morning light, leaving behind the fires of her ruined friends, and the lives that had been so mercilessly taken away.

**Author's Note:**

**I hope this was an enjoyable chapter. The next one will be of equal length and comparable importance. As always feel free to review, I enjoy your comments. Happy reading!**

**John Creel**


	8. Flashpoint

**Operations Booth, Police Plaza**

Foaly sat in his customized chair, scratching his chin as he eyed the central monitor. Before him was a live feed of the United Nations compound, and within it he could see that Trouble's delegation had just been escorted into the conference building. He had watched the brief exchange of pleasantries between them and the Secretary-General, and he was surprised how cordial everyone was being. The humans had certainly taken the time to prepare themselves.

"So far so good," he said to himself, his words uttered with an anxious tone.

He had been monitoring Commander Kelp's group since they left Haven, and doing so meant keeping an eye on human activity as well. There was a sizable military presence all around Geneva, but it was still reserved by human standards. Nonetheless, it was another thing to make the situation even more intense. But that was one of his lesser worries at the moment.

"Holly, where are you?" he said, switching to another console to monitor any and all LEP movements above and below the earth. The signals from thousands of craft lit up across the grid, all corresponding to a fairy ship. He should have been able to pick up RET7 and the HCIC transponders, but there was absolutely no signature of any of them. It was also impossible to contact them via any wavelength, and all connections to their systems had been severed. Was it really just interference from a magma flare? Such a natural phenomenon at a time like this was beyond convenient. Foaly frowned, lines of doubt forming upon his face. No, it had to be something more. He had to find out as soon as possible.

"Time to put my precious minions to use," he said with a slight grin, though his mirth was greatly reduced by his worry—Holly had been one of his closest friends for decades, and the possibility of her being in danger always got to him. He brought up a direct link to several of his stealth drones, ones that he used to patrol chutes. Calibrating their systems remotely, the centaur dispatched four to the HCIC headquarters. Traveling at Mach 4, the drones would take about twenty minutes to reach their destination. As they did so Foaly went back to monitoring the activity aboveground. That was when an alert came up on the screen.

"What's this?"

The sensors in a long abandoned LEP terminal in Southern France had just been tripped, a clear indicator that someone had just passed through. He could tell nothing more about it, as the systems there were far too degraded, but that was all he needed to direct his surveillance satellite to the area. It only took him a few seconds to spot it.

"What the…" Foaly furrowed his brow. The object was moving so fast that he had a hard time tracking it, but it was evidently an aircraft, and it was heading straight for Geneva. He zoomed in more, clarifying the details on the machine. "Oh gods," he rasped. It was an LEP interceptor, and by the looks of it the machine had just been through hell and back. Whoever was piloting it was either skilled or had a death wish, because it was missing half of its key systems and was nearly skimming the treeline. Foaly recognized its reckless maneuvers immediately, and knew exactly who was in control of it.

"Holly?!" he exclaimed.

His drone console beeped loudly, indicating that his machines had just reached their destination. Foaly glanced at their feed, and immediately looked again, his mouth gaping with dismay.

"Oh no…"

All he could see through his drones was destruction. No life signs could be detected in the area, and the fires of burning ships made it clear that a battle had just taken place—a battle that had been severely one-sided. His drones hovered before the collapse tunnel, but all of the sudden there was a torrent of signals bombarding them, breaching their security systems and infecting them with millions of malicious bugs.

Foaly swore, typing rapidly as his drones were literally taken over by someone else, and subsequently crashed into the side of the tunnel wall. Even with them destroyed, the remnants of their electronic link to the ops booth provided a highway for the viruses to travel over. Foaly saw it coming, and he glared furiously at the screen. _Not gonna happen! _He severed the link with one keystroke, and immediately applied a dozen firewalls and swarms of virus-seeking bugs of his own. The hostile virus was blocked and subsequently eliminated.

"I have to warn them," Foaly said to himself. There had been an attack on their allies, and Holly's actions indicated that she was desperately trying to stop something from happening in Geneva. He had to contact Trouble immediately.

Foaly brought up his comm links in a rush, opening a channel to the People's delegation.

"Trouble, come in!" he yelled.

There was nothing but static, and after a few seconds of diagnostic Foaly knew what was happening. Someone had remotely fried the delegation's communicators. That was impossible for humans to do to fairy tech, or at least that was Foaly's perception. He tried to tap into the human telecommunications, but was blocked by ridiculously potent ECM. His face blanched, and he felt his heartbeat ramp up. It would take him a while to fix this, and he knew that by then it would be too late.

Foaly got out of his chair, procuring his communicator. "This is LEP chief technical adviser Foaly. Get HIGHCOM on the line!"

Something big was about to happen, and they were powerless to stop it.

**Verdon Regional Nature Park, Southern France**

The verdant landscape of Southern France basked in the morning sunlight, with what little breeze there was gently swaying the trees that covered the valley. Birds sung in contentment, while critters scrambled around in the underbrush, neither in danger of human threats like development or forestry. After all, it was federally protected land, and such made it a rare example of relatively preserved nature in a world that was being quickly overpopulated and shamelessly exploited. Currently it was peaceful, the presence of sightseeing humans at a relative low. That soon changed.

There was a roaring sound in the air, one that shook the earth, and as every living thing for miles wondered what the hell was going on, a sleek object blasted right over the treetops, its passage generating enough turbulence to qualify as a category four hurricane.

_Sorry._ Holly thought as she gripped the controls, perfectly aware of the chaos her passage was causing.

She had only just reached the surface, having been forced to make use of an abandoned terminal that the LEP had mothballed several hundred years ago. It had been completely locked down, but she had made her own exit with her ship's blasters. Now she was flying her damaged LEP interceptor at well past Mach 3, and such made her dangerously low flight very intense. But she had no choice—her stealth systems were ruined, and flying at the conventional altitude would alert human radar and other such early warning systems. The design of all LEP ships incorporated basic passive features to deflected human scanning signals, but that would not fool everyone. She couldn't afford to have a squadron of human fighter jets on her tail, not when she had to get to Geneva as fast as possible.

"Foaly, anyone, please respond!" she yelled into her communicator, which was apparently no longer under the influence of the enemy ECM. She got nothing in response, which led her to wonder if the thing even worked at all.

_Hopefully Foaly will pick me up on his satellite feeds. That will make him realize the situation._

Holly crested a densely forested hill, clearing the nature park and opening up into the fields of Southern France. Her face was lined with intense worry and many other vehement emotions. It was a race against time, and so far it had not been on her side. She had to get there before it was too late; she had to stop it from happening! What exactly it was that was going to happen was not entirely known to her, but she could easily formulate a guess, and that was enough.

With a fiery determination the elf flew over the fields, weaving in between small hills and other obstructions, refusing to slow down even a little.

_Hold on, I'm coming!_

**United Nations Office, Geneva**

The conference room was filled with talk as the world leaders awaited the People's delegation. There was an air of both excitement and unease, but that was only natural for a moment like this, a moment that was pivotal to humanity and yet secret. There were no windows within the room, and every entrance was well guarded; there were more concealed firearms in the room than there were people. No cameras or electronic connections to the outside world were allowed either—a complete blackout of communication to prevent unwanted ears from listening in.

The clock struck twelve—the official start of the conference—and with what appeared to be the most impeccable timing in the world the door to the side of the room's front opened. The Secretary-General entered without a word, his pace controlled and without any visible worry. Everyone quieted down as he took up a position behind the speakers' stand, which faced everyone else and had numerous microphones attached to it.

"Good afternoon," Miyamoto said over his microphone, addressing the leaders with a welcoming smile. "Today is a day that will go down in history, a day that will see the bilateral talks between humanity, and the proud race that has shared this planet with us since the dawn of time. The People have heard our request for communication, and have come to honor our invitation. It is thus my honor to introduce them to you all. Let us welcome them."

Everyone stood up and clapped—either genuinely or just to go through the motions—and as the room filled with the sound of applause, Artemis Fowl smiled a little.

"No pressure. No pressure at all," he said to himself as he followed the others out into the massive room. The enigmatic Butler and Juliet were on either side of him, having said nothing the entire time—they were beyond serious, keeping a watchful eye for threats while maintaining perfectly stoic composure.

The five of them entered the massive room together. With all eyes on them they took their seats at the front-most left position, behind which all other nations were arranged in alphabetical order. Artemis could feel the eyes of those present boring into him, and he could tell that more than a few were still surprised that he—a young man—was a friend of the People. That made him smile a little—he liked it when he dumbfounded powerful people.

Everyone in the room took their seats once the People's delegation had, and once the noise had settled down, the Secretary-General began to speak again.

"Thank you, now let us being. It is imperative that we establish an understanding between our peoples. All too often has ignorance resulted in needless conflict, and that cannot be afforded here, or anywhere for that matter. I would like to extend the opportunity for the People's representatives to address this assembly, and answer any questions anyone may have."

Commander Kelp took the cue. Artemis watched with acute interest as the elf removed himself from his chair and walked up to the platform. Beside the ordinary speakers' stand was another one purposefully designed for a fairies' smaller stature, and that was a huge relief, as no dignitary should have to go through the indignity of using a stool.

With a confident expression Trouble stood before the assembly, eying everyone for a few seconds before speaking.

"On behalf of the People, I would like to express my gratitude for your presence here today. It is no small thing that the representatives of humanity and the People are in the same room for the purpose of peace; on the contrary, it is historic. As you all probably know by now, the People and humanity would not have done such a thing ten-thousand years ago. Our kinds were at war, and it was a terribly pointless one." He paused, gauging the crowd. "Since then my kind has remained hidden from yours, convinced that there would never be peace or understanding between us. We thought that we could never coexist; that contact would only result in conflict. And so we faded into your legends and folklore, our existence confined to fairytales, and all that our cooperation could have accomplished vanished. But that changes now."

Artemis listened as Trouble went on to do one of the most eloquent speeches he had ever heard. Trouble spoke of the People's history, their link with the world and magic, and how through cooperation humanity could be given a new age of growth and prosperity. Everyone listened intently, and it was clear that his words were getting through to many of those present. The boy was impressed, not only by the rhetoric itself, but by the fact that it was Trouble saying it all. Artemis knew that the elf had a lot of charisma when he wanted to, but he had never seen him as such a ridiculously good writer. It made him smile a little. _The world's full of surprises._

"And so," Trouble said after the body of his speech, "I call upon all of you to consider that which I have said; that which the People has to offer; that which we mutually desire. Not only peace, but technological wonders, knowledge beyond everything you could imagine, and the ability to better the lives of everyone on this planet. As the leaders of humanity it is ultimately up to you, but as I have seen in the few humans I have befriended over the last few years, I believe that you will make the right choice. I may not have said this ten years ago, but I believe in humanity. Will you believe in us? That I leave to you. Thank you."

Everyone applauded, but soon many were raising their hands to ask questions. Some were mere curiosity, while other were almost accusations. Trouble kept his composure the entire time, answering without any indication of being upset or unconfident. Eventually the angry comments died down, mainly due to the fact that those who were outwardly aggressive realized how pointless it was. More practical questions became more common.

"Why did you choose now to reveal yourselves? Surely you can see that our kind has yet to be peaceful amongst ourselves let alone an entirely different race," one diplomat said.

"We didn't choose to reveal ourselves, someone leaked our existence. We don't know who, but nothing can change that. Believe me, we were just as surprised as you were," Trouble answered.

"What of this magic?" another asked. "Is it even real? Or is it just misinformation? Your technology may surely seem like magic to many of us, but what of this ancient force you spoke of?"

Quan stood up abruptly. "A logical question," he said, turning to the humans. "As the People's oldest warlock, I believe that I should answer that. Yes, this magic is real. It is as real as the ground we stand on, and as instrumental to life as is water."

"Can you prove it? Perhaps you can show us this…magic,"

The elder warlock smiled innocently. "I knew you would ask, and I would be glad to show you." He immediately looked to a man sitting in the front row, who was bound to a wheelchair; the President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, Liuz Pessoa. "President Pessoa, I don't mean to be blunt, but how did you lose your ability to walk?"

The middle-aged man gave him a look, and frowned. "I suffered a spinal injury a few years ago due to an assassination attempt by the FARC. They failed, but their bullet still left its mark." He paused, his eyes distrustful. "Why do you ask?"

Quan kept a friendly composure. "How would you like to walk again?"

Pessoa seemed caught off guard, as did everyone else. Murmurs could be heard all around the room as people obviously doubted what the warlock said.

"I know it may seem a little farfetched, but such is magic," Quan stated. "It has healing properties, though it also depends on the skill of its user. I am the most skilled warlock alive, so it is perfectly within my range of capabilities."

More murmurs, but this time Pessoa seemed to consider it seriously. "I don't know if I should trust you," he said after a moment of thought.

"That is what everyone here feels, and I want to earn it," Quan replied. "Would you let me not only help you, but also those who doubt our intentions?"

Pessoa squirmed a little, but his desire was clear by the look in his eyes. He was sweating with nervousness. "Alright, go ahead."

Everyone watched as Quan walked up to the man. No one said a word. Artemis could feel the tension in the air, and a few glances confirmed that a few of the guards dispersed throughout the room had their hands on their concealed firearms. He didn't blame them, but he knew that such unease would be gone soon.

Standing before Pessoa, Quan put his hands on the man's knees. He paused, looking to everyone for brief moment. "This is what magic can do." He closed his eyes, and uttered a single word in the ancient gnomish tongue. Then magic happened.

Everyone gasped as the brilliant blue light burst from Quan's hands, sparkling wondrously as it rushed over the disabled man like millions of little fireflies. Pessoa had squeezed his eyes shut, but after realizing that there was no pain or discomfort, but rather a feeling of exhilaration, he opened them. People's shock soon turned to awe, the sight absolutely astonishing, and the lack of any screams of pain a relief. Only twenty seconds had passed, but it felt like a lot longer. Then Quan let go, standing back immediately.

"How do you feel?" he asked the man.

Pessoa looked at himself, as if seeing his hands for the first time. "I feel…young again." He suddenly remembered the reason for it all, and grasped his legs. For a moment nothing happened, and there were mumbles of doubt in the crowd. But then, all of the sudden, the man moved his legs. "Impossible, I—" He put his hands on the armrests of his chair, pushing himself up to stand. His leg muscles were weak from not being in use for so long, but after a long moment of struggling, he got to his feet. Everyone in the room—everyone but Artemis and his colleagues—gaped in awe as the man took a step forward, and after steadying himself with his hands on his chair, took another. Tears were forming in his eyes, and he could barely speak. "My legs, they work again!" He shouted it again, this time with a huge smile, and as he stumbled about with increasing success, the other world leaders couldn't help but feel his excitement. People clapped, some cheered, and many just stared. They had just witnessed a miracle, but they had seen what had done it. Magic was real.

"Thank you," Pessoa said to Quan, grabbing hold of his hand and shaking it vigorously. "They said I'd never walk again. I cannot thank you enough!"

The elder warlock smiled. "It was my pleasure."

Pessoa kept shaking his hand, but his tired legs almost gave out, forcing him to sit down again. His grin remained. "Nothing a little physiotherapy won't fix!"

Quan gave a friendly nod, and then turned to the rest of the leaders.

"As you have seen, the People's ability to harness this magic is real. We are willing to share it with you; we can use it to change the unchangeable. And this is but one thing our kind has to offer. Together, we can bring a new age to this world. All we need is your acceptance, and for peace rather than strife. What say you?"

For the first time there were sounds of agreement among the leaders. Many seemed to be thawing to the idea, their anxiety about this _alien_ species being evaporated by what they saw before them. Artemis could tell that some would not be as easily convinced, but then again it was impossible to please everyone. This was the UN—all they needed was a majority vote.

"But let me not tell you how we are to coexist. I believe that I should leave that to one of your own. To a young man who has changed both our worlds many times already," Quan stated.

_Here we go._ Artemis thought, having seen it coming.

"He is our closest ally, and my good friend, Artemis Fowl the Second."

Artemis gave the Butlers a look, silently imparting that he wanted them to remain seated—he wouldn't need their protection. He then got to his feet, smoothly brushing off his Armani suit as he stepped up to the speaker's stand. Trouble passed him on the way up, giving him an almost silent word of encouragement.

With the eyes of the world upon him, Artemis reached the stand and beheld those before him. Truly it was the most pivotal bit of public speaking he had ever done, but such didn't worry him. He knew exactly what to say, and he already knew the reactions he would receive. His observations of the human delegates had confirmed what he already knew, and so far he had only been surprised by Trouble's eloquence. Now he stood before the leaders of his kind—a young man before hundreds of the most powerful figures on the earth. For many it would seem to be a tough crowd, for how seriously could a bunch of older men and women take a boy like himself? Not that seriously in most cases, but Artemis didn't fall within that distribution; he went beyond the measurable. Standing before the United Nations assembly, Artemis gave his signature grin.

"I guess I should begin with where it all began..."

**Near the France-Switzerland Border**

South of Geneva, and East of the French town of Beaumont, loomed Salève Mountain. Popularly named the "Balcony of Geneva", Salève Mountain was high enough to provide a perfect view of both Geneva and the surrounding countryside of France and Switzerland. Its sloping cliffs were dotted with trees, and its summit was covered with rich forests. Both a natural spot for tourism, paragliding, and perhaps some crazy base jumpers, it was usually quite busy. Today was a rare exception, because a day ago the entire portion overlooking Geneva had been cordoned off by the French Army. Most didn't know why, but there were wild guesses given the number of transports.

_Even I don't know exactly what's going on here. _Corporal Durand Pascal thought as he looked over Geneva. It was warm out, but the wind made it almost brisk. Adjusting his slung FAMAS G2 assault rifle, the Corporal popped a cigarette out of his pocket. Health effects be damned, he needed a smoke.

The French Army's 2nd air defense brigade had been sent to Salève Mountain a few days ago, their orders being to secure the airspace of the region. No explicit reasons had been given, but when you were in the army you didn't ask for reasons—you took your orders and did as you were told.

"Merde!" the Corporal swore as he tried to light the cigarette in the wind. He eventually managed, and after taking a drag he glanced at the intimidating anti-aircraft gun to his right.

"Still pretty cool."

A full battery of newly acquired Oerlikon 35mm air-defense guns had been set up along the summit of the mountain. The defense system, nicknamed '"skyshield", was meant for short range targets, mainly aircraft or missiles, which perplexed Duran to some degree. Why on earth would they need a battery here, in the middle of the European Union? Wouldn't the border with former COMBLOC nations make more sense? He shrugged to himself, taking another drag from his cigarette. If nothing happened today he would never know the reason, and that was fine by him. He was about due for some R&R, and he was really getting tired of turning curious civilians away from the site.

Folding his arms, the soldier went back to viewing the city in the distance, the cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth. There was a distant sound behind him, one that stood out from the rest. It was barely noticeable, and he ignored it. If there was any problem the sensor unit would pick it up. A few seconds passed, and all of the sudden a sleek shape flew past his field of vision, going so fast that he almost failed to notice it, even though it was only a few meters above the ground. The sound came a split-second after it, followed by the wind of its passage, which knocked the cigarette out of the man's mouth, knocked the man onto his face, and also tipped over the mobile command post that was situated behind the guns. Corporal Pascal swore, picking himself off the ground.

"What the hell was that?!"

That's when the sirens started going off, and explosions rumbled in the distance.

**United Nations Office, Geneva**

Artemis had only just begun his statement when he noticed that Quan's demeanor had suddenly changed. He stopped talking, realizing the look on his face.

"Quan, is there something wrong?"

Everyone looked to the warlock, who had a terrible look in his eyes; eyes that had been perfectly calm a moment ago. The warlock shifted uncomfortably, glancing about in apparent confusion. "I don't know, I can feel…" He paused, swiftly looking up at the roof. His eyes widened with a dreadful realization. "Everyone get down!" he yelled, but before he could do anything else a small projectile slammed into his neck, embedding within his vein and knocking him to the ground. What happened next gave no one enough time to respond.

There was a sudden rumble that shook the entire room, followed by an earsplitting explosion. The ceiling above the assembly blew to pieces, caving in in a shower of stone and metal, a ball of fire breathing in after it—the result of explosives. Everyone looked up, and immediately began to run, abandoning all else as death came down upon them. Artemis couldn't believe his eyes as people were crushed, nor could he accept what had just happened—the consequences were astronomical.

"No…" he rasped, his eyes wide.

"Artemis!" a voice yelled. The boy was suddenly tackled to the ground, and he instantly knew it was Butler. The man shielded him with his body as debris rained down around them, his face contorted with anger and determination. But even covered Artemis could see enough of what happened next.

Through the smoke and fire of the collapsing ceiling dropped a dozen rappelling lines, and like demons from hell a number of masked figures descended upon them, their passage fast and skilled. "No!" Artemis gasped; they were fairies. Dressed in LEP tactical gear, the attackers looked exactly like a retrieval team, their infrared lenses glowing red as they appeared through the smoke and flame. In their hands were intimidating pulse rifles, and they opened fire almost immediately, gunning down everyone in sight. Rappelling with one hand and shooting with the other, the fairies descended into the midst of the assembly, blasting the fleeing humans without mercy.

One of such attackers landed right beside Butler and Artemis, and as he finished off a group of fleeing heads of state, he noticed them.

"Stay down Artemis!" Butler growled, rising to meet the enemy.

The fairy pointed his rifle at the man, but Butler grabbed it and shoved it to the side, resulting in the shots hitting the wall. Artemis saw them burn holes on contact, and felt terror ripple through him—they were shooting to kill. _Oh my god._

Butler growled as he held his opponent's weapon at bay, drawing his Sig Sauer and sticking it into the fairy's chest. He didn't hesitate—he knew that these fairies weren't LEP, and they would kill Artemis if they had the chance. Butler pulled the trigger, blasting a fist-sized hole through the elf, before turning on the others nearby. He dropped another one with a precise shot to the helmet, but more were pouring in from above.

"Come on!" the bodyguard yelled, picking up Artemis and carrying him towards the exit.

Through the smoke and debris Artemis could make out the bodies of numerous human leaders, including the presidents of the U.S, China, and Russia. More were dying by the moment, and there seemed to be no end to it. Gunshots could be heard as human security forces engaged the attackers, and soon the entire room was a warzone. Artemis was carried through it all, his bodyguard shooting at the attacking fairies as they dropped in around them.

"Artemis, Domovoi!" a voice called. They found Juliet huddled behind their seats, her own firearm drawn and smoking from use. A dead enemy was a few feet from her. She was stricken, but there was more anger on her face than fear. Commander Kelp was beside her, kneeling over a motionless Quan.

"What the hell's going on! Who are these fairies!?" Butler roared, putting Artemis down and firing another shot towards the enemy.

Trouble seemed completely shocked, even as he tried to wake the warlock. He said nothing—words were impossible for him at the moment.

Artemis came beside him, looking at the warlock. A tiny dark-like device was embedded in his neck—a tranquilizer of sorts. But such a serum wouldn't be enough to drop a powerful warlock so easily. It had to have magic-neutralizing agents as well. Artemis managed to collect himself in that moment, his mind trying to make sense of the situation. It was obvious why Quan had been taken out: he was the only one who could have prevented this massacre, his magic capable of protecting everyone in the room. But who were these fairies, why had they attacked? A million possibilities came up in his mind, even as chaos screamed all around him. Deep down he knew that it was all based around one idea—provocation.

More shots rang out as human soldiers poured into the room on one side, clashing with the fairy squads. As death filled the room, Artemis looked to Trouble.

"Trouble! Come to your senses!"

The elf shook his head, sorrow and confusion in his eyes. "What is happening? Why are my people doing this?"

"They are not your people. We will figure out who they are later, but first we have to survive this!"

The elf nodded, visibly numb as he drew his Neutrino and took in his surroundings. "By the gods, what have we done?" He stared for a moment, but then, as sudden as a lightning strike, regained control of himself. Snapping into a combat mindset, he got to his feet and stunned the nearest few fairies, who were firing at Butler and Juliet.

"Go!" Trouble yelled.

Butler grabbed Quan, holding him like a football in his left arm while the other held his gun. Juliet rushed ahead of them, placing herself on one side of the wooden door that barred their exit. As Artemis was pushed along by Butler, Trouble brought up the rear, covering their escape. By now a few human soldiers had set their eyes upon them, and were opening fire—to them, these fairies were the same as the ones killing their comrades.

"D'arvit!" Trouble swore, a bullet grazing his cheek. He stunned to human who had shot him, his magic healing his wound as he did so.

They rushed to the door, and as everyone else slowed down upon reaching it, Butler kept on going. The man mountain rammed right through it, sending the double doors spinning into the hall beyond. They were lucky, because a group of the attacking fairies were just beyond, weapons aimed. As the flying doors pegged several in the head, Butler, Juliet, and Trouble opened fire on the rest, dropping them before they could retaliate.

"Must you kill them?" Trouble growled at Butler, who was stoically changing magazines. Even though these fairies were doing heinous things, Trouble had a hard time seeing them die. They were his kind, and fairies didn't like to kill, not unless it was absolutely necessary.

"What am I to do?" the man said gruffly. "They are not like you or I. These are professional killers who kill for that purpose only. I can tell. These are not LEP personnel, or normal fairies whatsoever. They're a hired death squad." He chambered a round, the barrel of his firearm still smoking. "They will not show us any mercy. I cannot afford to be lenient."

Trouble frowned, torn between necessity and his morals. He could still use stun with his own weapon, but he knew that humans could not with their crude armaments. Swearing under his breath, the elf put the matter aside and started off into the corridor; there was no time for arguing.

They rushed through the building, avoiding firefights as best they could. Bodies littered the halls, and most of them were humans, and all of them were dead. The majority had been unarmed, helpless against their ruthless foes, and the frozen looks on their faces showed the terror of their final moments. As they stepped over the dead, Trouble felt a terrible feeling come over him. Fairies didn't do this! They were not born killers! He grimaced as he passed some terribly disfigured corpses. But some fairies were monsters, and he knew that for a fact as well. Opal had been like this; there were bound to be more like her in the world.

"We will go out the way we came!" Butler bellowed, still carrying the unresponsive warlock.

They burst around a corner, and were immediately confronted by a group of the fairies. They had their backs to them, and were in the process of finishing off a few humans. They were laughing as they did so.

"You bastards! What do you think you're doing?!" Trouble roared, aiming at them.

They said nothing in return. Spinning about, they opened fire with their pulse rifles, intent on killing Commander Kelp.

Trouble threw himself back, dodging behind the corner while shooting one of the hostile operatives at the same time. He crashed to the floor, but was on his feet instantly.

"These guys are crazy!" Juliet shouted as she hid behind the corner with the others. Laser blasts tore away sections of the wall, and left burn marks everywhere.

"They're insane," Trouble growled. Only madness could bring a fairy to do such things.

Artemis was pressed against the wall behind his protectors, feeling completely inadequate in a gunfight. All he could do was trust in his friends, and think endlessly about what was happening. The conference had been going so well, almost too well, but any progress had been shattered by the attack. To humanity it would seem as though the People had lured the world leaders to one place under the false pretense of diplomacy, lulled them into a sense of security, and subsequently turned on them. It was atrocious, but Artemis saw the logic in it. If one wanted to spark a war, a terribly shameless act of aggression like this would be optimal. But who would want such a thing? Artemis couldn't think of it at the moment, not was weapons fire tore apart his surroundings. But then he realized something.

"Holly!" he rasped. Why hadn't he seen it earlier? Her absence, the HCIC's silence; they had been attacked by the same group. It had to be what had happened. Now it all started to fall into place. The massive information leak; the likely attack on the HCIC; the attack on Geneva; all of it was perpetrated by the same foe. It flooded into his stricken mind, but even it was superseded by his worry for Holly. If she had been killed, he would never be able to live with himself. The sound of Butler's gun broke him out of his worry, and brought him back to the terrible reality before him.

"They've got us pinned down, we need to take a different way!" Juliet yelled over the Butler from the other side.

Butler grimaced. The whole situation was a massive crapshoot; both the human forces and these fairy death squads were gunning for them, and now they were being denied their escape. It was a total disaster.

As they held their position behind the corner, the group of ten fairies closed in, never ceasing their barrage of lethal laser blasts. It seemed as though there was no way through, but then, without any notice, three of the hostile agents were shot in the back. As they tumbled over unconscious, the rest spun about to behold someone who was supposed to have been taken care of already. Major Holly Short stood before them, her expression filled with venom as she beheld them.

"You're going to pay for this!" she growled, her smoldering eyes burning into them.

"Kill her!" one of them screamed, bringing his rifle to bear.

Holly would have none of it. With the two Neutrinos she had in her hands she shot every one of them before they could fire a single burst. As they slumped over, she rushed over towards her friends.

"Holly!" Butler exclaimed, aiming around the corner to realize it was her.

"Butler, Juliet, Trouble, thank the gods you're alive!" she said. She then noticed Quan in Butler's arms, but after a pulse check realized that he was alive. She didn't know what had happened to him, but he was breathing—she needed to know the same about a certain mud boy.

"Where's Artemis!?" she rasped, looking about frantically.

"Right here, Holly," the boy replied, appearing around the corner.

"Artemis!" she said, embracing him before he could do anything. She held onto him for a long moment, tears in her eyes. "I was afraid you were dead."

Artemis smiled sadly. "I am well, but so many do not have that luxury now."

Holly released him, a terrible look on her face. "I know."

Artemis could see her inner torment, and knew what it was related to. "What happened on your end?"

She said nothing for a long moment, sadness and rage filling her eyes.

"They attacked us without any warning. Ivankov, RET7, the entire HCIC; no one made it out but me. They're all dead."

It was terrible news, and everyone present shared looks of pure dismay. But Artemis was not surprised, not after all he had witnessed. This enemy, whoever they were, was intent on utterly destroying them.

"And now they attacked here too. They have started a war," Holly continued, utterly enraged. "They will pay, I swear it!"

As she said this, one of the unconscious fairies stirred, his groaning muffled by his helmet. Holly's eyes flashed over to him in an instant, filled with spite. Before anyone could do anything, the elf was upon the stirring enemy, fists clenched and teeth set in a terrifying look of anger. The masked fairy tried to get up, his pulse rifle clutched tightly. She swiftly kicked the weapon out of his hands, grabbed him by the throat, and slammed him against the wall so hard that she cracked his body armor.

"What do you think you are doing, you sick bastard!?" she growled. She noted the wolf insignia on his tactical vest, and it made her even angrier. She tore off his helmet, revealing an elf around her age, but most definitely not of her moral persuasion. His face was scarred, and in his eyes was a look that only the coldest people could attain; a look of detachment from all of the terrible acts he had done. Those dead eyes locked with Holly's, and after a long moment of staring, the murderous elf grinned.

"Hello Major, I thought you were dead. My colleagues were supposed to do you in with the rest of those stupid humans, but clearly you were too much for them," he rasped.

Holly's temper flared, and she slammed his head against the wall again.

"Who do you work for? Why are you doing this? Tell me!"

The elf chuckled mirthlessly. "I'm not answering the first question. Why are we doing this? Because we want to."

"Not good enough!" Holly said, slamming him against the wall again, almost knocking him out this time. "Tell me, or I swear to the gods I will make you wish you were never born!"

"What will you do to me? Kill me?" the elf laughed. Then his eyes took on a dreadfully serious look. "You won't get anything out of me. You see, some secrets are worth dying for." With a sudden surge of strength the elf broke out of Holly's grip, and in a single motion pulled a pin from his vest. A beeping sound came from his body. It was a bomb.

"Get back!" Holly screamed, throwing herself to the ground.

The elf exploded in a ball of fire, killing him instantly and reducing him to ashes. Heat and filth blasted over Holly as she lay on the ground, covering her head with her arms. It was over in a moment, and as she got to her feet, Artemis was there to help her.

"Holly, are you alright?"

The elf shook her head. "I won't be alright for a long time. None of us will." She looked to the smoldering mess to her right. "Such dedication to their cause. What are we up against?"

"I don't know, but I will have answers," Artemis replied.

There was a sudden commotion in the corridor behind them. Butler looked down it, and immediately pulled his head back.

"The military is here. Two dozen soldiers are coming right this way!"

Holly looked to Artemis. "We have to get out of here."

Artemis frowned, a tired look in his eyes. "No, Holly, you have to get out of here."

She gave him a look. "What do you mean? You have to come with us!"

The boy shook his head. "I can't. Running will not accomplish anything, not for me at least. In the eyes of my kin it will only admit guilt, and I am guilty of none of this." He looked from face to face. "Someone has to tell them what is really going on. Someone has to be a voice of reason to speak out against the lies. I will stay, and I will do everything I can to set things right."

Butler was astonished. "You can't stay!"

"I will," Artemis replied. "They cannot harm me, not like they will certainly harm fairies. I am still human, and I am far more valuable alive than dead. They will not harm me."

"Then we'll stay with you," Juliet said firmly, crossing her arms. Butler nodded in silent agreement. Such loyalty made Artemis smile sadly.

"You are a threat to them. They will only kill you, my old friends. I am the only one who has a chance; I have already calculated everything in the matter."

Butler was aghast. "Artemis, you can't possibly—"

"I am serious," the genius stated. "Now go, live to fight another day. I will fight my own war, and I will do so in the best way I know how."

"I'm not leaving you!" Holly interjected, terribly afraid for the boy. "I can't fail any more than I have already, I won't allow it!"

Artemis gave her a sad look. "You aren't failing me in leaving. You would be by staying, and dying for nothing. Don't do that to me."

"Don't do this to me!" Holly cried.

"I'm sorry, but there is no other way."

Holly blinked back tears, but she could hear the sound of the human security forces closing in. There was no time to argue anymore, and arguing with Artemis was futile to begin with. It tore her up inside, just as he inability to stop any of this had, but she couldn't refuse him either. He was Artemis Fowl, and she believed in him. She knew that he was right—that he was one of the few people the humans may listen to—and she trusted him more than anyone else in the world.

"Please, be careful. I don't know what I'd do without you," she finally said.

Artemis couldn't help but smile. "I can say the same for you. Now go!"

The sounds of shouting and footfalls were getting closer; they were nearly upon them. Holly gave Artemis one last look, her eyes filled with emotion, and then started off in the direction of the exit. Butler and Juliet lingered for a moment, their faces contorted with indecision. But they soon caved, and reluctantly followed Holly.

"I trust you Artemis," Butler said to him before leaving.

Trouble remained a little longer, giving him a sincere look.

"Good luck Artemis, you're a better man than I am."

Trouble left after those surprising words, and then Artemis was alone. The sounds of the approaching soldiers got louder and louder, and as they did Artemis fixed his tie, and brushed the filth off of his suit. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't afraid. Even though he outwardly composed himself, he was tormented within by worry. Was this the right choice? He wanted to believe it was; he wanted to believe that he could prevent a war with his words alone; that the famous Artemis Fowl the Second could once again defeat the odds and accomplish the impossible. He hoped this, even as the squad of Swiss Special Forces burst into view, aiming their rifles at him and shouting for him to raise his hands.

"I surrender, gentlemen," Artemis stated calmly, raising his hands for them to see.

The soldiers were wary, and many were obviously stricken by what was happening, but they evidently calmed down a little—Artemis was a human after all, and these men were currently fighting entirely different creatures. Artemis was turned around, and his hands were tied behind his back. As he was patted down and told to remain still, he stared off in the direction that his friends had gone.

_Please survive, all of you. I am taking a calculated risk in doing this, but it will be for nothing if I fail to protect you. I need you all, now more than ever, to combat the enemy we now face. May the best of luck be with you all._

Now completely restrained, Artemis was forced at gunpoint; forced to turn his back on his friends and to meet whatever trials awaited him. More soldiers rushed past him as he was taken away, their weapons ready and their eyes filled with killing intent. Artemis closed his eyes, hoping for the best.

"Holly, I leave the rest to you."

**Outside the UN Office, Geneva**

Holly burst through the exit, Neutrino aimed and ready. Her colleagues were right behind her, and as all of them emerged into the sunlight, the sound of gunfire erupted and split the air.

"Sniper!" Butler shouted, dodging behind an alcove as a bullet tore into the door behind him, leaving a massive hole.

Holly looked to the source of the shot, and made out the human sniper team that had set up on the other side of the compound. Another shot rang out, and the only reason it didn't blow her head off was the fact that someone else had interrupted the sniper at the last moment. Laser blasts riddled the sniper team's position, forcing them to dive for cover. Holly instinctively prepared to fight more of the fairy traitors, but felt a relief as she saw who had been firing. Retrieval team four was spread out around the shuttle, and had acted quickly to suppress the sharpshooter. Now Holly and the others had a chance to cross the open area between them and their shuttle.

As they rushed towards their transport, they passed numerous fallen humans. RET4 had taken them out, but it was evident by their lack of burn marks that they had only been stunned. That was good news to Holly. Not only did she not desire to kill people who were only acting out of fear and misunderstanding, she also knew that the more restraint the People showed, the more likely it would be that the humans would realize that those who attacked Geneva were violent non-state actors, not members of the LEP or any related security division, and most definitely not representative of the People as a whole.

"Commander Kelp, we've secured the extraction point," the team leader called out as they reached them. "I'm sorry, but we had no choice but to stun them. They attacked us all of the sudden."

"For understandable reasons unfortunately," Trouble growled, glancing back at the building.

"Where's Fowl?" the officer asked.

"He's staying to try and negotiate with the humans," Holly said bitterly, looking at the ground. "We are leaving without him."

As everyone climbed into the shuttle, Holly looked back at the building, which was burning in some places, and smoldering in many others.

"I trust you, Artemis," she whispered, tearing up a little. "Please be safe."

After those parting words, the elf rushed to her interceptor, which had been landed beside the shuttle. As the transport powered up, she brought her own ship to life, ensuring that its essential systems were still online; they had to be, as she was going to be covering her friends. A quick glance at the system diagnostic informed her that stealth was fried, but she already knew that.

"I've made it through worse situations than this in far less suitable aircraft," Holly said to herself, switching on the flight controls. "This will just be a little bumpy."

As the LEP shuttle lifted off before her, Holly revved up her interceptor's engine, itching to get on the move. There was no question as to whether the humans would be sending in every piece of military hardware they had available—it was only a matter of time. They needed to be long gone by then.

Keeping her eyes on her friends' ship, the elf lifted off. It was right on time too, as not a moment later a dozen squads of human military personnel burst into the square. They opened fire, but their bullets only pinged off of the ships' plated sides. The humans knew it was useless, and that was why a group had emerged with a Stinger MANPAD.

"Better get out here, it's getting way too hot down there!" Holly growled, still waiting for the slower shuttle to level out for supersonic flight.

A missile shot past her, but countermeasures on the shuttle sent it veering off to the side, where it exploded harmlessly. Another was fired almost immediately, but the shuttle suddenly shot forward, its engines flaring brightly. Holly followed after them, swerving to avoid the missile that had missed its target, and keeping an eye out for more. The plan was simple: retreat back to the Terra terminal in Ireland, and regain contact with the Lower Elements. Even now their communication systems were still in a fritz, and they very much needed to be able to communicate what was happening to Foaly and the rest of the LEP.

Holly flew low over the city, following the shuttle. She was wondering why they hadn't cloaked when they finally did so, shimmering out of the visible spectrum and leaving only Holly's interceptor visible to the naked eye. It was a relief, because she knew that there was little the humans could do to track them now. That left her to worry about herself, and such worry became very apparent when something slammed into her wing.

"D'arvit! Maybe this wasn't such a good idea!" Holly growled, bringing the interceptor into evasive maneuvers. The air-defense batteries that had been set up around Geneva had opened fire on her, and had already scored a hit. The elf cursed her failure to see it coming, but didn't dwell on it. She was a hostile aircraft in the middle of Western Europe, and that meant she would be getting quite a bit of attention. Frustration would only hamper her ability to survive.

Diving low to the ground Holly avoided another stream of explosive rounds, which flew past her and disappeared into the sky. Keeping only a few meters above the earth, Holly veered in between the hills, flying past the batteries at an altitude that was too low for them to engage. Once through the grid of air-defense systems, the elf elevated to a more comfortable altitude, though she still remained low enough to avoid most radar. She was in the process of steering through a valley when her interceptor's communications link crackled to life.

"_Holly! Can you hear me?"_

The elf sighed with relief—it was Foaly.

"Loud and clear Foaly, what took you so long?" she replied.

The centaur sounded terrible. "I'm sorry, but it took me until now to break the jamming signals. They were robust, but they were not too much for me to handle. Now it appears as though they have disappeared completely."

Holly glared at nothing as she flew. "Foaly, do you have any idea what has happened?"

There was a depressed sounding sigh, and a long pause.

"_Yes, I witnessed over my satellite feeds. I'm so sorry that I couldn't warn everyone sooner."_

Holly gritted her teeth as she thought about the matter. "Who the hell among us would go out and attack the humans to provoke them? They blatantly ruined any chance we had at diplomacy!"

"_I don't know,"_ Foaly said sadly. _"So much has happened beyond my control, beyond my sight. It is my job to see these things coming, and I failed completely."_

"Don't blame yourself," Holly said immediately. "We need you now more than ever."

The centaur didn't sound very convinced—his pride and sense of identity had been shattered. Nonetheless, he dropped the subject.

"Are Trouble and the others safe?" Holly asked.

"_They're clear of any danger thanks to my stealth upgrades, but you have none of such bells and whistles now. Worry about yourself."_

"I know, I got beat up by a some jerks in unmarked fighter craft, then a magma flare, and more recently some human anti-air fire. Can you find the best way home?"

"_I don't like saying this, but there is no easy way back to Terra,"_ he said. _"The human forces have already gone to a state of complete combat readiness, and they have AWACs all over the place. Even if you avoid their radar, their surveillance craft will spot you."_

"Great, thanks for the good news," Holly muttered, glancing about for any signs of attack. She was currently flying over Morvan National Park, purposefully avoiding major population centers. Hopefully she could reach the ocean before being intercepted. Such hope was decisively shattered the next moment.

"_Holly, you've got company!"_ Foaly said hurriedly.

"What? Where?" she yelled—her sensors were down.

Foaly sounded very worried. _"Virtually every airbase in France is scrambling their fighter jets, but those are not close to you."_

Holly glanced about. "Then who is it?"

"_Six F-22 Raptors. They're from the 94__th__ fighter squadron, which has recently been moved to Germany in response to the People's discovery. They just entered French airspace, and are moving to intercept you. ETA two minutes!"_

Holly grimaced. "Thanks for the heads up."

The two minutes passed far too quickly for her liking, and even without a proper HUD she could see the F-22s drop out of the clouds ahead of her, little specs in the distance. But little as they appeared, they were actually quite big, and chalk full of advanced avionics. Even though they were nothing compared to a top-of-the-line LEP interceptor, they still boasted enough technology and firepower to pose a tremendous threat. Without many of her aircraft's features, Holly was even at a disadvantage. That was not good.

"_They're locking on!"_ Foaly yelled.

"I don't need the side seat commentary! Let me handle this!" Holly barked, concentrating as best she could.

The F-22s opened fire without giving her any warnings or conditions—they clearly had orders to shoot her down without mercy. Holly couldn't really blame them, but she nevertheless cursed them as a dozen missiles dotted the sky in front of her, approaching at Mach 4. She had only seconds to react.

Activating countermeasures, she veered to the side and dove low to the ground. The G-force made her damaged craft groan, but she ignored it—she knew what this machine could take, and it was far from surpassing that point. Half of the missiles were detonated by her countermeasures, but the rest chased after her, persistent in their efforts to strike her down. Holly could see their trails as they pursued her, and knew exactly what they were capable of.

"Guess I can't hold back!" she growled, clutching the controls for her anticipated course of action. Naturally her plan was insane, but that was her norm. With the missiles gaining on her, Holly cut the interceptor's forward thrusters, and simultaneously throttled its reverse ones. At the same time she pulled up, letting the drag slow her even more. It cut her speed in half, and as she drifted she completed the loop, flipping over to face the incoming missiles while upside down. In a split-second moment she had her targeting systems lock onto them, and opened fire with all four of her cannons. Blue laser blasts shot out to meet the six missiles, their aim steady and true as a result of Holly's skill and the interceptor's still functional fire-control system. Explosions blossomed in the sky as the deadly missiles were torn apart.

"Gotcha!" Holly said, unable to hold back a grin. No matter the circumstance, she always found elation in pulling suicidal stunts like this. Such mirth was gone very quickly as she spun about again to continue her retreat. It wasn't over yet.

Through the smoke behind her appeared three of the F-22s. They were level with her now, and were using their afterburners to close the distance between them. Holly veered about, doing her best to shake them, but they stuck on her tail.

"They're pretty good," she admitted.

As she pushed her craft faster and faster, a stream of high-caliber rounds burst past her cockpit, just barely missing her. The F-22s had switched to their 20mm cannons, and were now firing bursts of high-explosive incendiary rounds, which were capable of tearing her ship apart with only a few direct hits. At such incredible close range the chance of being hit was high, and a dogfight against six of such opponents was very risky. But Holly had no say in the matter—she had to take the crap that was given to her and craft an aviator's masterpiece.

The three fighter jets opened fire again, spraying death towards her at over six-thousand rounds per minute. Holly took evasive action, spinning out of the way and subsequently diving low to the ground. Her opponents followed her. Now flying danger-close over the lush fields of a rural area, Holly throttled the engine, blasting forward at supersonic speeds. The F-22s kept on her, firing bursts that would narrowly miss her on every occasion. The explosive rounds tore apart the fields before her, leaving smoking trenches in the lush agriculture, and sending smoke and debris flying up towards her. Holly cursed as dirt and decimated corn bounced off of her canopy, and veered in another direction to temporarily throw off her attackers.

"_Holly, the other three are closing in from all other directions!"_ Foaly cut in.

She saw them, and immediately pulled up into a steep climb, narrowly avoiding the cannon fire that blasted at her from multiple directions. The F-22s broke formation to follow her, climbing high into the air with their afterburners spitting fire. Holly saw them in the corner of her eye, and winced as another burst of cannon fire nearly clipped her wing. "These guys never give up!" she yelled, still trying to maintain the ninety-degree climb.

"_They're switching to missiles again!"_ Foaly warned, his voice filled with worry.

Holly clenched her teeth. There was no way she could keep this up, not with such a damaged ship. The situation was bleak, and as the F-22s fired another volley of missiles, Holly knew that she had two options: bail out, or die in a fiery explosion. Her finger hovered over her ejector seat control, but at the last moment before making her decision the sky behind her lit up with fire. She glanced back with surprise. All of the missiles that had been on her tail had been shot out of the sky.

"What in Frond's name?" she rasped.

Three of the pursuing F-22s suddenly had their wings torn off by laser fire, and as they spiraled out of control their pilots ejected to save themselves. The other three broke off, dissuaded by a new opponent.

"_Major Short, we almost didn't make it in time,"_ a voice said over her comm link.

Holly leveled out and glanced to her side to see the six LEP interceptors that had been assigned to watch over them earlier. They were a sight for sore eyes.

"_The 5__th__ fighter squadron has your back Major,"_ the squadron leader continued.

Holly appreciated their assistance, but she didn't like it at the same time. They didn't need to be engaging in dogfights with the humans right now. They needed to retreat and regroup, and do as little as possible to provoke further human aggression. She also didn't want any more of her colleagues losing their lives.

"Thank you, but stay out of this," she told them. "Get back to Terra as fast as you can!"

The leader didn't sound very convinced. _"Major, we're escorting you back whether you like it or not. The only way you can stop us is if you shoot us down yourself."_

Holly shook her head. "You guys are crazy."

"_Aren't all fighter jockeys?"_

That made Holly grin. "You make a good point."

"_You all better get out of there now!"_ Foaly interjected.

"_He's right, we've got company!"_ the squadron leader stated, actual fear in his voice this time.

"How many?" Holly growled.

Foaly could not answer fast enough, as a moment after Holly asked, a number of aircraft emerged from the clouds ahead of them. They were French Dassault Rafales, and there were at least forty of them. Holly and her colleagues only had a few seconds to take the sight in before the human craft lit them up, firing air-to-air missiles at a ratio of ten per LEP ship.

"Get yourselves out of here!" Holly yelled, taking evasive action.

The LEP ships broke their escort formation, doing their best to deal with the incoming missiles. But at that same moment there appeared another group of jets behind them—twenty Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs from the Swiss Air Force.

_"They've got us on both sides!"_ the squadron leader remarked, deploying countermeasures to throw off the missiles. _"We have to—"_

The elf's transmission was cut off as his ship was torn to pieces by a flurry of cannon fire from directly below it. As it exploded in a massive ball of fire, one of the F-22s that still remained burst through the destruction, turning on the other LEP craft along with the other two that followed behind it.

"No!" Holly screamed, unable to do anything to save her ally. She veered out of the way of a rogue missile, and shot down two missiles that were on the tail of one of the other LEP ships. But as they were detonated, three more came from another direction, and even though her compatriot's countermeasures were deployed, the missiles exploded in such proximity that the LEP craft lost a wing and plummeted into the clouds below. Holly swore again, her eyes darting about wildly. There were so many fighters closing in, and all of them had her locked down. The remaining LEP ships were doing their best to retaliate, but as they concentrated on attacking the human jets, missiles shot out from the clouds below and ripped them apart.

"_Holly, they've got SAMs locked in on you! Get out of there!" _Foaly called out.

Holly winced as a few cannon rounds clipped the side of her ship. "Can't you mess up their signals?"

"_They're security measures are not what I expected. They've implemented an entirely new system that will take some time to crack!"_

"Then get on it!" Holly growled. The humans had been a lot more prepared than any of them had ever expected. The People saw humanity as primitive and of low-intelligence, or at least that was the general idea. Humans like Artemis were never underestimated, but the rest had clearly been. If you back a race such as this into a corner, and give them a reason to fight, they will run you over.

Holly flew her ship through the dogfight, taking hits on numerous occasions. She engaged a few of the human fighters, taking off their wings with her cannons, but there were too many. In the process of evading three of them at once, Holly heard a warning signal beep loudly on her console. She glanced at it, and then the entire ship lurched. A missile exploded in close proximity to her interceptor's tail, and the resulting fragmentation tore up parts of the engine and stabilization systems. Holly suddenly lost control, the machine literally falling apart in places.

"Come on, you can still fly!" she chided, gripping the controls.

Three 20mm rounds from the F-22 on her tail tore into her wing, ripping off its plating and severing even more essential systems. This time there was no way to regain complete control. With smoke now gushing from the interceptor's engines and wing, and a dozen warning sirens going off in the cockpit, Holly felt the reality come crashing down upon her. She had lost—she was going down.

Holly held on for dear life as the ship plummeted towards the earth, disappearing into the clouds before emerging on the other side, the earth now visible below. She desperately tried to level out, but all she could accomplish was a little less spiraling. There was no stopping her descent.

"Foaly, I have to crash land!" she yelled over her communications link.

The centaur's response was garbled as a piece of her ship broke off, sending another shudder through the craft. There were no more missiles or shots being fired at her. Only a few of the human fighter jets were behind her, and it was obvious that they were only tracking where she would crash. She knew that they wouldn't finish her off—it was a universal code amongst pilots to show some mercy to an enemy that was already defeated. Some of course did not, but these ones seemed to respect that honor code. They followed her for a little longer, and then broke off once she began to near the ground. One even tipped its wings.

"Gee thanks, that gesture really means a lot when you're about to die in a fiery crash!" Holly rasped.

The vibrant countryside of France sprawled out before her, its details getting more and more vivid as she plummeted to the earth. In the distance were numerous settlements, including a very large one that could only be Paris. Holly scanned the land before her, anticipating the emergency landing. She was heading right towards a large green space called "Forêt de Sénart"—a forest that was nestled amidst numerous towns, and just on the outskirts of Paris. It was both a relief and a dismal realization—the former in that it was bereft of human residents, the latter because it was a beautiful forest that would soon be sliced through by an out-of-control supersonic attack craft.

"Sorry, I can't steer this darn thing!" Holly growled as she sped towards the treetops. The ground was now only seconds from her, and so in that last moment Holly put all of her strength into lessening the angle of her dive, as well as slowing down. Her efforts made a small difference, but as soon as she engaged her ship's flaps, her damaged wing broke off, and then everything went down the metaphorical toilet. As Holly witnessed the forest rushing towards her, she frowned with discontent. "Oh boy, this is gonna hurt."

The elf tucked her head down, and braced for impact. It came with such suddenness and ferocity that there was no way of _really_ preparing for it. Her ship slammed into the forest, and as it did its entire frame shuddered and snapped, its bits and pieces flying off like discarded feathers. Trees of all shapes and sizes snapped and exploded, their trunks no match for the force of the aircraft. The reinforced canopy of her ship imploded, and as Holly was showered with broken material, pieces of woods, and loads of leafs, she thought only of surviving this mess. She had to, not only for herself, but for the others. For Artemis.

The LEP interceptor diced through several hundred feet of forest, and over that distance its velocity was brutally reduced. With both wings and its tail torn off, the ship bounced off a few more trees, spun around a few times, and eventually crashed to a halt, upside down and half embedded in the forest floor. All of the noise and chaos ceased at that moment, leaving such calm and tranquility that it was really quite confusing.

_"Holly! Holly! Are you alright? Holly!"_ Foaly screamed over the communicator that was in her pocket.

The elf opened her eyes, blinking away the blood that was running down her face. Her magic swirled around her, repairing broken bones, and as such injuries were healed, she managed to regain her senses. She was upside down, still strapped into her harness. In that position she took out her communicator and spoke languidly.

"I feel like I just took on a troll in a game of crunchball, but I'll make it."

"_Thank the gods!"_ Foaly replied, his rapid typing audible in the background. _"Okay, I've got an eye on you now. Nice trail you through the forest, it could fit a human freeway."_

"Gee thanks," Holly groaned.

She sluggishly grabbed at her harness until she released it, after which she broke her fall and rolled out of the inverted wreck. She was aching all over, but she got to her feet rapidly and drew her Neutrino, the sounds of the forest suddenly hitting her.

"Foaly, what's my position? I need a way out!" she growled, glancing about. A crash landing like this would bring a lot of unwanted attention.

"_You're just South of Paris, and you're surrounded by human towns and villages. But there is a way. There's an old chute entrance hidden on the other side of the woods, directly to your right. It's been inactive for a long time, but I can remotely open it for you."_

"How much time do I have to get there?"

The centaur groaned. _"I'd say maybe five minutes. I am picking up numerous transmissions about your landing, and there are a number of police and military personnel being directed towards the forest."_

Holly frowned, getting her bearings. "Better start running then."

"_That would be a great idea."_

Leaving behind the smoldering wreck of the LEP interceptor, Holly sprinted through the forest, dodging branches and weaving between trees as she did so. Foaly kept her on track the entire time. She eventually reached a small clearing upon the top of a hill, and as she ran up it she couldn't help but look at the view it gave. Paris was visible in the distance; a grand city filled with many of humanity's great accomplishments. She didn't waste much time thought, and began moving again. However, she didn't clear the hill before she heard Foaly gasp with utter dismay.

"_Oh gods,"_ he croaked, suddenly emotional.

Holly stopped. "What is it?"

Before she could listen to any response, there was a sudden flash of light in the distance. It caught her off guard, and as she looked in the direction of the flash, she felt every fiber of her being freeze with terror.

"No, this can't be happening…" she said hollowly.

In the direction of Paris was an enormous explosion of blue light, which sparkled brilliantly as it washed over an entire section of the iconic city. No one in the LEP would fail to realize what it was, and that was twice as true for Holly, who had witnessed it many times before. It was an LEP bio-bomb, the deadliest weapon they had ever created.

She watched with a traumatized expression as the bio-bomb swept through the Southern portion of Paris, about a quarter of the city. As it did so she could feel the sudden burst of energy, even from where she was, and she could hear the distant chaos. The bio-bomb lit up the world with a blue glow for only a few seconds, and then it fizzled out, glimmering as it faded into the air. There was no visible damage, but Holly knew that that was the point. Bio-bombs only targeted living tissue. The streets would be intact, but they would be filled with the dead—oh gods there were so many dead. Holly felt herself shake with rage and sorrow; she had just witnessed the murder of tens of thousands of innocent people.

"Foaly," she said shakily, her voice filled with warring amounts of sadness and anger. "Who the hell ordered that attack!?"

The centaur sounded even worse than she did. _"I…I have no idea. No one in the LEP carried it out, and none of our bio-bombs are missing."_ His voice was shaking. _"I created these weapons to defend the People, not commit genocide…"_

"What's the scope of it!?" Holly yelled.

"_So much death…"_ the centaur said, clearly going through psychological trauma.

"Foaly, I need to know!"

That snapped him out of it, but even still he took a few seconds to be able to speak. What he said was so terrible that Holly wished she had never asked.

"_It's not just Paris, Holly. It's global. Similar attacks have occurred in over fifty major cities around the world, all at the same time. London, Berlin, Cairo, Moscow, Washington, Tokyo, Beijing, New York…the list goes on. The model of bomb used is the largest one we have, with a lethality radius of around three miles, affecting a total area of thirty. And these were set off in civilian areas—they purposefully aimed at soft targets."_ The centaur was filled with grief, a product of his feelings of responsibility for the weapon that had just been used on millions of innocent men, women, and children. _"I've already run the numbers, and they keep going up. Final estimate sits at twenty million."_

_Twenty million. _Holly sunk to her knees, still staring at Paris, which was now rife with death. Twenty million human beings had just been killed in the span of fifteen seconds; a number far greater than the total population of the People. Twenty million lives, gone just like that; all of their hopes and dreams cut short in an instant without any reason. Holly could feel the tears overflowing from her eyes, but she couldn't even blink. What had just happened was the single largest instance of mass murder in human history, surpassing even the Holocaust, and it had been done by a group of rogue fairies, not humans.

"_Holly, you have to get out of there…"_ Foaly managed to say.

She didn't move. Why would someone do this? Who would go so far as to commit genocide against people they didn't know and who had done nothing to harm them? So many lives were gone, and so many more would be broken by the loss. The young, the old, the sick, the healthy, children, infants; no one had been given any mercy, and had been snuffed out with such brutal precision that it was beyond anything Holly had ever seen. It was the most despicable act she had ever witnessed. _And the humans will think we did it._

Holly knew right then and there what was happening. She had known for a while really, but now it was very vivid within her mind. The attacks on humanity were the part of the most perfectly executed black flag operation in history—an operation whose purpose was to pose as the LEP and spark a war between humanity and the People. It had been perfectly orchestrated, and carried out with brutal efficiency. Looking down on Paris, Holly knew that there was going to be no end to it. Humanity would fight them, and the horrible truth was that such was for all the right reasons. To the humans, it would be a fight for survival, for the right to live. To them, the People were even greater monsters than they were; creatures that were set on killing every last one of them.

"_They're closing in on your position! Get out of there Holly!"_ Foaly yelled again.

Holly forced herself out of her sorrow, getting back to her feet. She took one last look at Paris, and then started off again. She only made it a few feet before she heard the sound of footfalls behind her, and of weapons being cocked.

"Arrêtez-vous!" a voice behind her yelled, punctuated by the growing sound of helicopters.

She stopped immediately, knowing that there were a number of rifles aimed right at her head. Slowly, she turned about to face the men. There were five soldiers only a dozen yards away, all armed and all with expressions that indicated that they were having a very bad day.

"Hands above your head. Do as I say or we will open fire!" the group leader yelled in French.

Holly glanced about, seeing that they were the only ones. She slowly raised her hands, never taking her eyes off of the humans. They started to approach her, and that was when she spoke to them.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely.

She moved with a speed that most couldn't come close to replicating, drawing her Neutrino and firing at the five soldiers. Three went down before they could even blink, and the other two immediately opened fire. Holly threw herself to the side, bullets whizzing past her as she dropped to the ground while shooting at the other two. One went down, and the last, with a very fearful expression, screamed with rage as he went full-auto on her. His bullets nearly killed her, but she got off a few shots, stunning him as well.

Holly immediately sprinted away, knowing that the shooting would draw a very brutal welcome wagon. She could hear the shouts of more soldiers as she entered the thick woods again, and the sound of a few helicopters could be heard overhead. They were coming for her.

"Foaly, show me the way!" she yelled.

She raced through the thick underbrush, ignoring the numerous scratches and lacerations she would get from the small branches. The sounds of her pursuers came from all directions, and the trees above swayed as military helicopters flew overhead, sending leafs raining down around her as she ran for her life. It was a terrifying experience, for she could not possibly take them on, and if they caught her they would certainly show her their _appreciation _for what the People had apparently done to their kind.

Holly burst over a small hill, diving down as she saw a squad of soldiers sweeping the forest ahead of her. She hid in a muddy riverbed, waiting for them to pass. She could hear their footsteps as they continued past her, only a few yards away. From their angle they couldn't see her, but if Holly made any noise it would all be over. It was a very tense moment, but they were soon gone, and so she began again with an even greater sense of urgency.

She was nearly there, and now she could hear the sound of police dogs. They had picked up her scent, and were barking ferociously in her direction. As the sound of her pursuers began to close in around her, Holly felt a new kind of fear—the fear of being hunted. She was their prey.

"_Just a little further, you can make it!"_ Foaly said encouragingly.

Holly only nodded, her eyes darting about in search of threats. Gunshots suddenly erupted to her right, and the foliage around her was torn apart, leafs and small branches flying through the air just behind her. She kept running. More bullets screamed past her, this time several grazing her arms and back. Holly felt the pain, but she didn't let it get to her; her magic healed it as she pressed onward into the brush.

She reached a small clearing, and was met by three armed men, who had clearly been waiting for her. Holly swore aloud, throwing herself to the ground as they lit her up, firing controlled burst right at her. She returned fire just as fast, striking two of them down. The third stopped firing, and was changing magazines, but his motions were shaky due to fear. Holly noticed and charged forward, aiming at the man, who had given up and was drawing his sidearm. They were both aiming at each other, and both shot at the exact same time. Holly hit him in the chest, and his rushed shot passed right through her side, rupturing a kidney and spraying blood all over.

"D'Arvit!" Holly cursed, falling to the ground and clutching her side. Magic worked away at the wound, but all it could really do was stop the worst of the bleeding. She would need medical attention to fix it completely.

Gritting her teeth in pain, the elf struggled to her feet, and started moving again, clutching her blood-soaked side with one hand while keeping her Neutrino aimed with the other. She would not be able to keep it up much longer, and even now she was losing most of her strength. But she was also determined to survive—there was nothing that would stop her from living, not while she could still fight.

_I have to live. They need me. Artemis needs me!_

She reached the hidden entrance without running into any more humans, but she could hear them closing in. The entrance was made to look like a small hillock, and to anyone it would seem completely natural. Holly knew better, and staggered to the spot where she knew there was an opening. Thanks to Foaly it appeared before her when she reached it, the disguised earth shimmering to reveal a hidden entrance. Holly threw herself into it, just as a group of humans burst into the clearing. Gunfire erupted above her as she descended down the steps, but it was soon cut off by the reinforced hatch as it closed behind her. Rushing down the steps, Holly tried to remain focused, but she was getting dizzy from all of the adrenaline in her system. She suddenly lost her footing, and fell head over heels down the remainder of the stairway. It hurt a lot.

"_We're sending a team to extract you. Sit tight Holly, and be safe,"_ Foaly said over her communicator, which had fallen out of her pocket and was now a few meters away.

The elf laid there on the floor, staring up at the ceiling in a daze. Her eyes were brimming with tears that were representative of a hundred negative emotions, and her body was trembling from the stress of the escape. Without even thinking she crawled to her feet, and subsequently slouched down against the wall, sliding down as she stared into the nothingness of her torment. Her mind was flooded with the terrible images of all that had happened, and of her failure to stop it. She had failed everyone; she was a failure. Feeling that pain strike her far worse than the wound in her side, Holly drew her knees up to her chest, and wept.


	9. Casus Belli

**United Nations Headquarters, New York**

New York was a disaster, but then again so was the rest of human society. Only a day ago an unknown force had attacked, using a weapon that wiped out every living creature it touched. The grand skyline of the city was unchanged, but its people were changed forever, and the soul of New York was by no means its grand architecture, but its people—it had lost a part of its soul. Many thousands had died in the bombing of Brooklyn and parts of Manhattan, both densely population regions of the bustling metropolis. Officials had already accounted for one million fatalities, and they were still counting bodies. First responders had arrived on the scene to find that no one was left to be saved, and so the relief effort had gone immediately to a mass-casualty recovery, with so many dead that it would take weeks to collect them, and months to see them all given proper burials. It was absolutely traumatizing for those who survived, leading to enormous numbers of post-traumatic stress cases, creating a second disaster in and of itself.

But despite all of the grief and feelings of helplessness, there was a fire within the hearts of not only the people of New York, but also all of humanity. Everyone had been hit, and that prevented anyone from pointing fingers at each other—the Americans couldn't blame the Russians; the Indians couldn't blame the Pakistanis; the Israelis couldn't blame the Iranians; anyone with a longstanding feud had no reason to blame their foes. And so humanity was united in a collective rage; a desperate desire to know their enemy, and see them utterly destroyed. Imagine their surprise when they realized it was fairies.

Secretary-General Takashi Miyamoto limped through halls of the United Nations Headquarters, a cane supporting the leg that had been damaged by the attack on Geneva. He was no longer flanked by his longtime friend and Deputy Secretary-General Adrian Ludwigsson. That man had died a day ago, along with so many others. Takashi had been lucky to make it out of that room alive—only a handful of the gathered leaders had escaped, and even after clearing the room there were gun battles all throughout the compound. In the end over five-hundred people had been killed in that attack, though fifty of the attackers had also been killed. But that was nothing compared to the wider picture. Twenty million people had been killed in a day by an unprecedented act of aggression, one that purposefully targeted the innocent. Takashi trembled at the thought of it, not only because he was angry by the losses of the world, but also of his own. His family had been in Tokyo when the attack struck, and now they were gone. It brought fresh tears to his eyes, but he kept going, knowing that he had to be emotionally present in order to do what must be done.

The man was helped into a conference room, and as he entered over a hundred cameras started rolling, each streaming to a different part of the world. A platform had been set up, and behind it were the flags of the nations of humanity and of the UN. Takashi was helped up its steps by a few assistants, and when he reached the podium he took a deep breath. This was not what he had been hoping for; this was the last kind of speech he had wanted to make in his career. But he had no choice, and after all that had happened, he knew it was for the best.

He thought of his family for a moment, reminded of his daughter by the clothes one of the reporters was wearing. He grimaced, but kept himself from crying.

"I am sorry," he began, his voice rife with emotion. "I am sorry for what has happened to us all, for the terror that has struck us without discretion. It is my greatest shame that I stand here today, for it means that I have failed my duty to bring peace and understanding to the world. I am no longer the Secretary-General, for I do not wish to speak from such a lofty place. I am but a single human being, just as you all are, and in this terrible time we are all equals, just as we should have always been." He adjusted himself, the pain in his leg always getting worse. "It is also my great shame that none of you knew about this until it was too late. At first we thought it wise to keep it a secret so as to maintain control over the dilemma, but now it is clear that we were wrong. So I will tell you."

"We discovered only a week ago the existence of a technologically superior sentient race living beneath the surface, a race that has been on this earth longer than we have. Many ages ago we fought against them, driving them below, and afterwards their existence faded into legends. Fairies, mythical creatures, monsters, whatever you may call them, are with us on this planet, and our rediscovery of them led us to believe that peace was possible. We tried to negotiate with them, and we trusted their apparently good intentions. That was our greatest mistake, for the attack that struck Geneva, and the subsequent strikes around the world, were all perpetrated by their kind, and made possible by their superior technology."

Takashi paused, fighting back his own emotions. "I am sorry that we failed to warn you, for we were deceived. But sorry does not mean anything in such a reality as this, when over twenty million people have been murdered in cold blood, and billions more suffer their loss. We must take action, not only for the lives that were taken, but also to ensure our own survival. I know that, as Mahatma Gandhi, an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind, but we have no choice, for the very existence of humanity depends on it."

Miyamoto's fists clenched as he stood before the crowd of cameras and journalists, and through them the entire world. His eyes narrowed, and his face trembled.

"My fellow human beings, my brothers and sisters, my equals, it is with great regret that I must say these words, but they are for the good of us all."

He felt his own anger boiling within him, the faces of his beloved children burning hot like a sun within his mind's eye.

"As of this moment, humanity is at war."


	10. Escalation

**Lower Elements Police Headquarters, Haven**

The command center of the Lower Elements Police was always characterized by organized chaos—after all, it was the epicenter of the chain of command, and thus the recipient and sender of thousands of transmissions a day. From here all of the LEP installations worldwide—with the exception of a few—were directed, and even though distant officers carried out their own work under their own supervision, everyone ultimately answered to Haven. On a regular day things were busy, but it was always within the bounds of manageability, and was thus a controlled mess. Today, however, there was almost no control at all. Today, along with the four days previous, was chaos incarnate.

The room was packed with officers, each rushing about with enormous urgency. Every station was occupied by personnel, and every monitor displayed as much information as possible, though it was not enough—with all that was happening, there was no possible means of maintaining absolute control. Nonetheless, being as resilient as they were, the fairies did their best. Battlegrids and tactical maps glowed on holographic displays, and the radio chatter from many hundreds of locations around the world could be heard as officers communicated developments and relayed orders. Everyone had been working for days, and everyone was tired, but adrenaline and willpower kept them going. There was no way they could stop now, forsaking their duty, not when lives depended on it; not when a war was being fought.

War. A terrible reality that no one wanted to face, and yet here it was, painfully evident with every report that came in from the affected regions. Such regions were pretty much everywhere in relatively close proximity to the surface, and all of them were indicated by red on the numerous tactical grids.

Commander Trouble Kelp eyed one of the grids with dread as he forced his way through the chaos, barking orders and receiving news from his counterparts around the world. It was a horrendous situation they were all in, and there was little they could do to stop it.

It all began a week ago, when the Geneva conference was attacked and the human cities were bombed. No one in the LEP had seen it coming, nor could they mitigate it; they could only stand back and watch their chance at peace get torn to shreds by their own kind. It was the most unexpected thing, and it infuriated Trouble to no end. He wanted to find these fairies, whoever they were, and bring them to justice for what they did. But they had had no luck in doing so, nor could they effectively carry out any search; they were far too busy dealing with the consequences of their terrible actions.

Trouble inwardly shuddered as he remembered what had happened since then. The attacks had been shameless; pure evil. The killing of humanity's leaders and millions of civilians for no reason was the most despicable and merciless act of violence he had ever seen. Humanity had been devastated, its people broken and its governments left in chaos. With so many dead, and so many more suffering from the loss, the entire world had stopped in grief. But such grief quickly turned to anger and fear—anger towards those who had done it, and fear that it would happen again. The attacks had clearly been meant to provoke humanity, to make them believe that the People were monsters, and they had worked flawlessly in doing so. Only a day after the attack, the world governments declared a state of total war—a war for the very survival of the human race. The people of every nation put their full weight into the effort, their grief turned to hatred for the People, and their desire for retribution burning within them like an unquenchable fire. Humanity was angry, afraid, and dreadfully hurt. When you backed such an animal into a corner, it would strike back with all that it has. That's exactly what the humans did.

In the course of a few days the entire world had mobilized its military might, consolidating its armies and forgetting all their squabbles with each other. The standing armed forces of the human nations were immediately bolstered by an unprecedented influx of volunteers, and every available piece of military hardware in storage was brought out and put into operation. Mothballed aircraft and warships were being refitted and deployed at an astounding rate, and the military industrial complex had never seen such a rise in production since World War Two. In all, their forces were set to double in size in a matter of weeks, and triple in a matter of months.

Trouble was amazed by such drive, but it was only logical. The humans thought that they were up against a technologically superior race that was bent on wiping them out; they responded as any sane race would. It made Trouble bitter, how their actions were not at all warmongering or mindlessly aggressive. Humanity was acting out of fear and anger for a terrible wrong that had been committed against them; a wrong that had betrayed their trust and slaughtered their innocent. The People, much to their dismay, had fired the first shot, even thought they had always believed that the humans would. Now the humans were fighting back, and the People, who had had nothing to do with the actions of those few fairies, were left with no choice but to defend themselves.

Commander Kelp and his counterparts had quickly ordered their forces to remain on the defensive; acting aggressively would only cement humanity's false perception of them. The LEP had to hold onto its surface terminals, otherwise it would be trapped below ground, vulnerable to a human invasion. That was why the command center was such a mess right now—the battles were already raging. In fact, they had been raging for days now, and the LEP was having little luck.

_We ran out of luck the moment those bombs detonated. _Trouble thought bitterly as he checked the status of the numerous conflicts.

"Sir! We've lost contact with E116 terminal in Los Angeles! Last reports were of heavy casualties and low supplies!" an officer yelled from his Terminal.

"E77 in Wajir is being overrun!" another said with dread.

Trouble grimaced, but kept himself in check. "Pull back all units in those areas. Do not attempt to retake them, not without backup."

As his orders were relayed, Trouble rubbed his forehead. He had a terrible headache, a product of the tremendous amount of stress he had been under. Giving a few more orders, and making sure that his other officers were doing well enough, he made his way to the ops booth. The door opened and closed behind him, leaving him alone with Foaly, who was working tirelessly.

"Foaly, situation report."

The centaur was still fighting back the depression he had been suffering from the events a few days ago. Trouble didn't blame him—the centaur's technology had been used to murder millions of people, and further stoke the flames of war.

"There's no good news on any front. Fifty-percent of our surface terminals have been overrun, and the rest are taking one hell of a beating, or are about to." He shook his head. "They know exactly where they all are, as well as many other things that would have otherwise given us an advantage. They even know about the bugs I planted in their satellites and communication systems, and have taken them out. And now they are working to fortify their systems from my intrusions. They are making astounding progress, because someone had to hand them the condensed version of our hacking technology and encryption techniques…"

Trouble glowered. "Whoever leaked that data to them was very thorough. Those bastards will pay."

"The same bastards who used my creations to commit genocide," Foaly said emptily, staring at his screen as he worked automatically. It was clear that he was in inward anguish.

Trouble nodded. "I'm sorry about what happened. I know that it is hard for you, and I wish I could have done something about it. But we were all blind. We did not know the real enemy."

"And we still don't!" Foaly growled, his usually playful features twisted with anger and sorrow.

"We will," Trouble replied, putting a hand on the centaur's shoulder. "And when we do we can try and set this right."

"What's left to be set right?" Foaly murmured. "The humans won't stop, not after what they think we did. In all honesty, no one would stop after such a thing, not even us."

"What about Artemis? He stayed in Geneva to try and talk some sense into them. I believe that he can do something good from his position. He always does the impossible, that boy."

"I hope that you're right. Artemis is one of the best chances we've got, now that the HCIC is wiped out."

Trouble nodded morbidly. They had lost one of their greatest allies among the humans, and he knew exactly why they were targeted as they were. They would have been able to act as mediators between humanity and the People; they could have stopped this, or at least stepped in between the two factions to cause doubt about a war. But they were gone—mercilessly wiped out by those fairies as well. Holly had given him a detailed report on what had happened there, and he remembered it verbatim. It was too terrible to forget.

_Holly._ Trouble thought, the elf now on his mind. He was terribly worried for her. She had taken the events of a week ago far worse than most, blaming herself for it all. Such was ridiculous, but that was how responsible she felt for everyone. She was admirable in her desire to protect people and take it upon herself to do so, but such was a double-edged sword. She couldn't save everyone, and in a case such as this, where almost everyone she tried to protect died, the psychological effects were tremendous.

"What about Holly," Trouble said without thinking.

Foaly took a calming breath. "She's still at E76, commanding the defensive forces there. There have been several attacks on them already, but they are still standing. I don't know how long that will last."

"Are the humans making a move?"

"A big one. The British 16th air assault brigade supported by the 1st mechanized brigade as well as half of their air force is reportedly being rallied to the area. I can see their mobilization on my satellites, and it is huge," the centaur replied uneasily.

"Over ten thousand soldiers," Trouble noted unhappily.

"Against a hundred of our officers..."

That was not the best matchup. It was terribly one sided, and such was further exacerbated by the fact that the LEP had no fighter craft above ground to stave off assaults. It would seem that the humans had managed to reverse-engineer their stealth technology, making it useless to the LEP craft. By the gods were the humans resourceful! Trouble eyed the monitors while thinking it over, before turning to Foaly again.

"Keep an eye on her. Let me know if anything happens up there. I know that we can't hold out forever, but we must hold on for as long as we can until Artemis or someone else makes a breakthrough."

Foaly nodded. "It would be easier if we had a few powerful warlocks, but with Quan WIA and Nº1 as he is, we don't have a lot of magical defenses to use."

Quan had been out cold since Geneva as result of the dart that had struck his jugular. He was still in hospital, and medical personnel were still trying to figure out what it was that had incapacitated him. It was not something they had ever seen before, way ahead of everything the LEP had in its labs. Until they did, there was no way to effectively treat him.

"We'll do our best without him," Trouble said firmly, silently feeling the frustration of all of it. He left Foaly and reentered the command room, facing the chaos of war once again. As he walked amidst his officers, seeing the looks on their strained faces, he couldn't help but think about the what-ifs. The People could try their very best to hold humanity back, but what if their best wasn't enough? Using bio bombs on their populations was out of the question for now, but what if it came to that? What if the People had no choice but to become the monsters the humans thought they were? As he observed the steady deterioration of the LEP's defensive lines, Trouble felt the nagging dread of uncertainty. He did not want any of this, but he didn't have any say in the matter. No one had any say anymore; all that was left was survival.

**E76 Surface Terminal, Southwestern England**

The emergency lights within the terminal were dim and depressing, a reflection of the mood in the air, which reeked of fear and anxiety. Being so close to many of the People's ritual sites and vacation spots, E76 was usually filled with life and excitement; a place of hope and vibrancy that drew families and young lovers. Such things had no place here now, when hope was but a husk, and vibrancy was only in the mottled colors of military uniforms.

Major Holly Short sat upon one of the many benches in the terminal, her helmet next to her, and her pulse rifle resting on her lap. She stared at it blankly, her mismatched eyes portraying nothing but negative emotions. She had been here for several days now, deployed out of her own free will to defend the terminal from an assault. Her reason for doing so was not because she wanted to fight, nor because she saw humanity as her mortal enemy, but because she could do nothing else. She was a soldier, and as a result she had a duty to uphold, but this went beyond duty. This was about keeping herself occupied with a task that would leave her no time to think about how much she had failed. And yet here she was, sitting on a crappy bench thinking about that exact topic; truly an idle mind was a dangerous thing. The elf did her best to banish the thoughts, but with little success.

Holly didn't have to be where she was at all. She had been offered a position in HIGHCOM, but she had refused. As a Major she could be enjoying the relative comfort of Haven, commanding from the LEP HQ like many others, but that didn't suit her either. She was partially responsible for that had happened—or so she told herself—and as a result she had to face the consequences head on. She also had to try and keep herself from losing her mind, and what better way than to throw oneself into a warzone? As paradoxical as it sounded, it helped her cope. Fighting to survive tended to make one forget about their personal demons, at least until they won or during the final few moments of life. Regardless it served as a way to keep her busy by doing what she did best.

_I hope you're doing better than I am Artemis. I hope you're well. _Holly thought, looking up to behold the expanse of the dreary terminal. Roughly a hundred LEP officers were sitting around just as she was, checking their weapons or trying to pass the time with simple games or nervous chatter. Everyone was tired, demoralized, and terribly afraid. Many of these officers were fresh out of the academy, the combat armor and assault weapons they had still something that they were not used to. But even the seasoned officers were uneasy, for they were mortals too, and had already seen many of their friends get blown to pieces by the airstrikes that had obliterated the defensive lines around the terminal. Death was something that changed everyone, even those who saw it regularly; those who thought they could get used to it. Even now there were those who were going through psychological shock, and some had been so traumatized that they had to be taken away. Those who had managed to remain sane sat before her, waiting for the inevitable. Holly sympathized with them all, knowing their pain. Truly, war was hell.

Holly took her eyes off of the dreadful sights around her, and thought about Artemis again. She had not heard anything from him since she had left him behind, and there was not a moment that went by without her regretting her decision to leave. She should be with him, helping him in his efforts to make the humans rethink their course of action. But she was not—she had run away, while he remained to face whatever trials would come. Even if it was according to his wishes, she hated it. She hated how everything had spiraled out of control, how all she could do was fly about making vain attempts to stop it. Butler and Juliet felt the same way, but they were not here to console her—they had been forced to stay in Haven. That left her with herself as company. She didn't speak of it with her subordinates, as such would only make them lose confidence in her. She was their leader, and thus she had to appear immovable.

The elf waited in the rigid silence of the terminal, staring at the floor with the same blank expression she had been wearing for hours. There was nothing to be done in anticipation of an attack; the preparations were already in place. It was a few minutes later when her second in command, Lieutenant Fern, came rushing up to her, his communicator held up to his mouth.

"Yes, I'll inform the Major," he said into it, before putting the device into his pocket. "Major Short, I just received a transmission from HIGHCOM."

Holly looked up at him, her enigmatic expression unchanging. "And?"

The Lieutenant looked uneasy, but he spoke smoothly. "Our satellites have been tracking human activity. A sizable force has been directed a few miles from here. They have joined the existing forces surrounding us, and are preparing for an assault."

Finally, the waiting was over. Holly didn't blink. "How many?"

"Several brigades. Fifteen-thousand infantry, plus mechanized support and aircraft."

Holly nodded, not showing her inner anxieties; she had to be strong for them. Standing up, she adjusted her pulse rifle and glanced about, the Lieutenant waiting on her in silence.

"Then let's get ready. You know the drill."

"Sir!" Lieutenant Fern saluted, and rushed off to inform the others.

Holly watched him go, but didn't stand still for long. Putting on a serious expression, she walked over to her officers, confident in her steps. They looked to her hopefully—they believed in her. She regarded them intently.

"My friends, our respite is over. The humans are mounting another assault on us, this one larger than all of the previous ones combined." She could see the fearful expressions. "I know that you are afraid. No sane being could be calm in the face of such odds. I am afraid, just as you are, but I will not let it break me, not when it is my duty to protect the People. We all took an oath, and now we must fulfill it. We will fulfill it, or the People will be no more." She paused, looking from face to face. "But take heart, my friends; all things have an end, even times such as these. I will be with you every step of the way. I will be the first to meet the enemy, and the last to retreat. Will you follow me? I leave the choice to you, for you are free fairies; choose your destiny."

Her officers stood up, brandishing their weapons and making clear their choice. She wasn't the best at speeches, but she knew that she had a special touch with her follow officers. They respected her like no other, and her presence made brave those who would usually cower in fear. Such charisma was just how things had turned out—it was not something Holly did intentionally.

"Thank you," she said to them, her words meant from the bottom of her heart. "Now get to your positions. We all know what we are to do, so let us not waste time."

Everyone burst into action, rushing to their positions with practiced speed and precision. Fairies that had looked downtrodden moments ago showed glimmers of hope in their eyes, and in their faces could be seen a confidence that should be impossible. It made Holly smile despite herself, but that smile was quickly wiped away by the sound of warning sirens, and the telltale rumble of artillery as it fell on the earth above them.

**Several Thousand Feet Above E76, Southwestern England**

Through the white clouds that hung above the earth flew dozens of aircraft, their formations precise and indomitable, and their speed a clear sign of urgency. They were all from the Royal Air Force, the markings on their sides indicative of the British military. They were Panavia Tornado GR4s. Fifty of the strike craft cut through the clouds, their grey frames sporting horrendous amounts of heavy ordnance, and their variable-sweep wing design making them appear like predatory birds on the hunt.

At the head of the formation flew the squadron leader, Captain William "Buzzard" Vale. Tucked away within the cockpit of his jet, he maintained a serious expression. As a veteran of numerous foreign conflicts, and a decorated officer, he was no stranger to the realities of war. But as he flew over his homeland—the rolling fields of England—he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Not since the Second World War had a battle been fought on their soil, and he had never hoped for one to be during his career. But here he was, in a fully loaded strike craft, about to bomb the hell out of British soil.

"Those damn monsters just had to ruin it all," he growled, absentmindedly maintaining his altitude and position over the target zone. The People, these creatures that had been living beneath them for thousands of years, were an enigma to him. He did not know much about them apart from what they looked like, and more importantly, what they had done. His free hand clenched into a fist as he thought about it. He had been on leave when they had bombed London, and the only reason he had not been there was because he had stopped on his way in to buy a gift for his parents, who lived in the old city. The bomb had only taken out a part of the city, but the harsh vicissitudes of fate would have it that his family would be caught in it. Their deaths tore him apart, even now, but his anger was more powerful at the moment, and it fueled his actions. When the United Nations made the announcement a week ago, he had been the first in his squadron to get back to base. The others turned up as well—no one would stand by and do nothing, and even if they wanted to, the RAF had declared a full mobilization. When they were ordered to take out these "fairy" bunkers around the British Isles, he had been morbidly pleased. He wanted to take the fight to them. After what they did, they deserved nothing less than hell itself, and their one-way ticket to that fiery pit was going to be one of his squadron's bunker buster bombs, which were new models fresh from procurement.

A transmission came through, and he listened intently. That was his greenlight to engage. Glancing at the many things that demanded his attention, the pilot prepared his craft to begin the assault, while simultaneously opening a channel to the rest of his squadron.

"Buzzard to 9th Squadron, we have the greenlight to engage. Our boys on the ground need that fairy shithole softened up a little. Let's put a few holes in it for them."

The formations of strike craft came around to face the mound that housed E76, and even though it was a fair distance away, they had laser designation to ensure that they hit it dead on. When they were within optimal range, the squadron leader gave the command, and that was when the bombs started dropping.

**E76 Surface Terminal, Southwestern England**

Holly walked through the terminal, going from soldier to soldier to ensure that everything was in place, and that everyone was ready. She had her rifle hanging from her back, and her eyes still had the cold look within them. The terminal's emergency lights flickered as human artillery tore apart the earth above them. Such bombardment didn't breach the defensive energy shield that was protecting the terminal, but it was very nerve wracking for those who waited within. The sound of artillery firing volley after volley; the rumble of explosions right above their heads; the ever-present threat of demise; all of it was terrifying to those who had never seen war like this.

"Lieutenant," Holly said to the elf ahead of her, "What's the status of the energy barrier?"

"It's holding, Major," he replied, eying his datapad. "As long as it holds there's no way they can breach the terminal. Currently its integrity is sixty percent."

A series of explosions shook the terminal, but only caused for dust to fall from the ceiling. Holly brushed it from her shoulders as she glanced about.

"Has Foaly spotted any bombers? That's my main concern."

Lieutenant Fern shrugged. "Fifty RAF strike craft are closing in on our position, but there's no way they can make a dent in our shield. The humans may be tough, but their technology is primitive."

"Don't underestimate them," Holly growled, her tone serious. "Never underestimate a people who are as infuriated as they are."

"Oh come on," the Lieutenant grinned, for once forgetting to be respectful for military composure. "What's the worst they could do?"

He ate his own words as a horrendous tremor shook the terminal, knocking fixtures off the walls and sending the emergency lighting into darkness. Another came after that, its power accentuated by the muffled explosion that was still loud enough to cause for them to cover their ears.

"You just had to say that!" Holly exclaimed, looking up as pieces of the ceiling were knocked right out of their foundations.

Fern tumbled back against the wall as another explosion shook the terminal. He glanced at his datapad with a worried expression.

"Oh gods, the shield is losing its integrity! Fifty percent and dropping!"

Holly grimaced. These weren't normal bombs, nor were they just bunker busters. They had to be using a certain degree of EMP to disrupt the energy shield's solidity. That was terrible news.

"Lids on!" Holly yelled out, her voice distinguishable over the endless series of explosions.

Those who hadn't done so already put on their helmets, and as everyone hunkered down to wait out the bombardment, Holly put hers on as well. The HUD lit up immediately, and quickly enhanced her view to compensate for the loss of the emergency lighting. With the sound of the explosions now reduced by the helmet, Holly rushed over to one of the barricades that had been erected within the terminal, dodging falling debris as she went.

"Stay strong! Remember your training!" Holly yelled to her comrades. She vaulted over the barricade and landed on the other side, crouching low and bringing her pulse rifle to bear. The bombs kept hitting them for what felt like hours, though it was really only a few minutes. Dust and debris fell upon them, and all the while her Lieutenant's worried voice gave her even more terrible news.

"Integrity down to ten percent! Another wave of bombers has just arrived!"

The withering bombardment doubled in ferocity, shaking everything with such power that it was impossible to stand up. Holly held her rifle close, pressing herself against the barricade out of fear for being crushed by collapsing sections of the roof. _Get a hold of yourself Major! You can do this! You cannot fail here too!_

"Barrier is down!" Fern rasped.

The bombardment took on a whole new level after that. What had once been muffled explosions suddenly erupted in volume, and the once mitigated blasts tore through the reinforced steel that guarded the terminal, shattering its superstructure and sending tones of stone and dirt and metal crashing in. Still it didn't end.

Like the fires of perdition, the bombs ate away at their defenses without mercy, blasting apart the earth they landed upon. Holly grimaced as debris flew everywhere, some of it crushing a few of her officers, but there was nothing she could do but wait it out. She looked up with dismay as a particularly powerful explosion shook the roof. She immediately opened a channel to her officers.

"Hold on everyone, here it comes!"

A section of the terminal's roof finally gave out completely, a series of bombs knocking it loose and sending it crashing down into the room below. Fire and smoke followed it, blasting into the terminal like the breath of a furious dragon. Officers ran away from the breached area, and some didn't make it, and all Holly could do was watch. The bombardment didn't stop there; it kept on going for another few minutes, hitting them nonstop with hundreds upon hundreds of bombs. These few minutes—a few minutes in hell—were gone before she knew it, and when the bombing stopped Holly looked about in a daze, her head spinning from the chaos. The terminal was a complete wreck, its walls falling inward, and sections of its roof caved in. Through the numerous holes in the ceiling came the glow of the sun, and a warm breeze filled with the smell of combusted explosives and scorched earth. Holly got to her feet, steadying herself with her rifle as she fought back the disorientation of marginal shell shock.

"Lieutenant, status report!" she managed to say.

The elf was crouched near her, still covering himself with his arms. It took him a few moments to realize it was over. Getting up, he looked about with dismay, but quickly carried out Holly's order.

"The terminal has been compromised. Fifteen breaches have opened, and all of our defensive systems are down. We sustained fifteen casualties, all fatal."

Holly nodded, her eyes filled with the sadness of the loss. But she did not do anything else to appear broken. Instead, she brandished her rifle and looked to her officers, who were all looking to her for guidance.

"Make ready to repel an assault! Go, go, go!"

Her officers snapped out of their daze, her words making them realize that the fight was far from over. Everyone rushed to their positions, being careful not to be near any of the openings in the ceiling—that was the humans' point of entry. Instead they spread out, forming defenses around the breaches, their intent to suppress any advance with a withering bombardment of laser bolts. Holly watched calculatingly as they did so, weighing the various factors at play. They were outnumbered and outgunned, with no air support or backup. Yet it was their task to hold the terminal, and Holly was determined to do that to the best of her ability.

Seeing that everything was ready, the elf strode over to a barricade that was in the center of her troop formations—a perfect vantage point to command from—and powered up her pulse rifle. It hummed to life, a few lights blinking on it to indicate that it was live. Eying its setting, Holly made sure that it was on stun. Even after all that had happened, she could not bring herself to kill those who were attacking them. They were soldiers, just as she was, and they were fighting for reasons that she sympathized with. Of course they were her enemies, and she would take them out, but she was determined to minimize casualties on both sides. Perhaps by using nonlethal attacks, the LEP could help sway the human populace; show them that the People were not the monsters they thought they were. It was a high hope, but she had to hope in something. She also had to retain her own sense of right and wrong.

"Everyone's in position. Major," Lieutenant Fern said as he joined her, his own rifle at the ready.

Holly eyed the openings, and nodded. "I know. I assume that everyone knows that they are to use stun? We cannot cement the wrongful image we have been given."

"Affirmative," the elf replied, showing her his rifle's setting. "We understand the reasoning behind it."

"Good. I know that you are angry, but we must show that we are the better kind."

They waiting in silence for a long time, their rifles aimed at the openings in anticipation of the assault. After a while, Holly took out her communicator.

"Foaly, it's Holly. Can you give me a report on the surface activity?"

The centaur replied immediately. _"They've surrounded your position, but they appear to be waiting for something." _The centaur sounded enormously stressed and emotionally worn out, and Holly couldn't help but feel for him. Nevertheless, she kept on topic.

"Any idea what?"

Foaly was in the process of responding when a number of objects dropped into the terminal from each of the holes, hitting the floor with loud thuds. Holly dropped her communicator, knowing exactly what was happening.

"Satchel charges! Get down!"

The charges went off before she finished her sentence, exploding with an enormous amount of force and sending shrapnel flying in all directions. The foremost of their barricades were blown to pieces, and all the others were hammered with the force of the blasts. Everyone threw themselves to the ground, dropping their weapons and covering their heads, all except for Holly, who watched the explosions with a grimace. It had begun. Shouldering her rifle, Holly called for her officers to prepare themselves, never taking her eyes off of the largest opening.

"Best of luck," Lieutenant Fern said to her from her right.

Holly glanced at him. "Yeah, same to you."

The attack began soon after that. It started with a shower of smoke grenades, which exploded and filled the entire entry point with impenetrable clouds. That made Holly grin a little—the LEP had thermal imaging in their helmets, so using smoke was entirely useless. Her amusement evaporated when another series of explosions went off before her, this time the result of hand grenades. Hundreds of rappelling lines dropped into the terminal, and under the cover of the explosions descended the human infantry.

Brandishing assault rifles and machineguns, the soldiers opened fire as they entered, intent on pinning the defenders down with covering fire long enough to establish a foothold on the terminal. They wore full combat gear, gasmasks, and internalized infrared goggles, allowing for better sight in the blackness of the terminal. They even had reflective lenses—a clear sign that they knew of the fairy _Mesmer_. Hundreds strong, they poured from above without any words or shouts—they were professionally silent.

"Open up!" Holly yelled. She pulled the trigger on her rifle, as did seventy other officers, and gave the invading forces one hell of a welcome.

Neutrino blasts mowed down the first wave of human soldiers, and the second was nearly wiped out as well. The few who managed to get to the floor without getting shot immediately took up defensive positions, laying down covering fire with their automatic weapons.

"Keep firing! Don't let them through!" Holly yelled, barely flinching as a bullet whizzed past her head. She concentrated on the humans who were covering the entry of their comrades, striking several of them with well-aimed shots. As they toppled over, their colleagues ducked for cover, and from behind their positions they threw grenades right into the LEP lines. Explosions tore apart the area ahead of Holly, and she was forced to duck as shrapnel sped through the air. She was up the moment it passed, firing once more, knocking out five targets at once.

The human soldiers had moved up under cover of the grenades, and now there were at least fifty attacking the fairy positions while another thirty held the entry points. Even more streamed in from above.

"Positions three through seven fall back!" Holly yelled through her helmet's communications link.

The remaining officers in the foremost positions fled under the cover of their colleagues, and as they retreated, their previous positions were overwhelmed with human infantry. Now the humans had some solid barricades to hide behind, and as a result there were a number of them opening up with machineguns, peppering the LEP with hundreds of rounds. Several of such rounds struck near Holly, almost blowing her head off.

"D'Arvit!" she growled, immediately blasting the soldiers who were shooting at her. More took their place almost instantly, while others dragged their fallen comrades out of the line of fire. Bullets hammered her position, and two of the officers near to her were killed by the shooting. Holly saw blood spatter everywhere, but she did her best to ignore it, returning fire and striking down a number of the humans.

"Assault teams one and two, provide covering fire for positions eight and nine. Form a perimeter at point theta."

Her officers, being entirely confident in her orders, responded efficiently, shifting the LEP lines to adapt to the ever expanding human force. The change resulted in a massive boost to their defensive capabilities, leaving the humans with a large open space between them and the fairy positions. It would buy them a few minutes.

"Good work! Keep it up!" Holly called out, firing endlessly into the human defenses. She gunned down a squad of soldiers who were trying to seize a small piece of cover nearest to her position, and received an immediate response from a rifle-mounted grenade launcher. The HE grenade slammed into her barricade, blasting it apart and sending much of it right on top of her. The explosion momentarily knocked Holly out, and when she woke she was covered with debris. Her head was spinning, and she could hear the sound of intense fighting all around her.

_Your troops need you! Get up!_

Holly snapped into focus, but realized that she no longer had her rifle. Gritting her teeth, the elf pushed and pulled her way out of the debris, eventually emerging into the smoke-filled air. The first thing she saw was a human soldier standing right over her, and the barrel of his rifle as he aimed it at her. She acted out of instinct, kicking his legs out from under him while drawing her sidearm. She stunned him with three shots, and then turned on two more humans as they appeared through the smoke. They fell in a heap, and as the smoke cleared, Holly realized the extent of the situation. She had been out for at least a minute, as the human front line was now ahead of her, leaving her in the middle of their positions. A glance to the inner terminal showed a group of humans pinning down one of her officers' barricades, and one of them made a signal to use a grenade.

"Not on my watch!" Holly growled, sprinting towards the battle with her Neutrino flaring. She knocked out the group of humans before they could act, but in the smoke she nearly ran into a few others. They all turned on her with surprise, and she took that moment of hesitation to slide right past them on her back, blasting all of them as she went. Her slide took her right into the legs of another human, sending him crashing right onto her. It hurt, and the human had drawn a combat knife in desperation, but Holly had her Neutrino pressed into him. A single shot finished that struggle.

Removing herself from under the man, Holly continued towards her comrades, blasting humans as she went. By now they were aware of her presence behind them, and several took her acts as a sign that she was an important officer. A barrage of shots flew all around her, some glancing off of her helmet and body armor, while others nearly missed. She was lucky to not be torn apart.

"Major, over here!" she heard Lieutenant Fern call out from ahead. He was behind a series of LEP positions, which were holding out against the onslaught. At least fifty humans were in between him and her.

"Great! Just great!" Holly growled, ducking behind a barrier to avoid another attacker. She was moving again almost instantly, rushing from cover to cover, narrowly avoiding death every time. With the smoke masking her approach, she took a chance at a suicide mission, and charged right into the fifty humans.

_Excuse me, coming through!"_

Holly shot ten of them in the back before she reached them, and when she was upon them she hit another five. The rest turned on her, but with the LEP positions ahead of them, many were knocked out by their distraction. With that advantage, Holly kept on rushing, intent on reaching her comrades. She was almost stopped by a human wielding a machinegun from the hip, but she simply jumped onto the gun before he could open fire, and subsequently kicked him in the face, sending his helmet and gasmask spinning into the air. Holly shot the two men behind him as he dropped like a sack of bricks, and continued on into the LEP lines. With numerous furious humans gunning for her, the elf just barely made it to the barricades. A bullet grazed her leg as she threw herself over the barricade, drawing blood. As she crashed to the floor behind the safety of the barrier she clamped her hand on the wound and waited for her magic to heal it.

"Need a hand?" she heard Fern say. The elf, along with several other of her officers, were standing before her, looking relieved that she was alive. He had a pulse rifle in his hand, and he gave it to her.

"Thanks," Holly said as she took it, slowly standing up and testing her leg. Finding it satisfactory, she turned about and aimed her rifle over the barricade, pinning down a few humans.

"What's our status?" she yelled as she fired, her comrades having taken up positions alongside her.

"We're holding this point, but just barely," the Lieutenant replied, firing controlled bursts into the enemy lines.

"How long was I out?"

"Five minutes. We were worried that we lost you."

Holly frowned. "I'm sorry for being absent for that amount of time. Changes happen in seconds, and a minute can change the course of battle. You did well in my absence."

Fern grinned sheepishly. "I was just following your orders."

They held off the enemy advance for a few minutes. By now the British troops had brought in rocket launchers and other heavy ordnance, and were using it to hammer the LEP positions. The fairies fired back with everything they had.

"We'll need to pull back to the next line of defense," Holly said after a while. "They have already amassed a large number of troops in the terminal, and it won't be long until they overrun us. We can better hold them off if we reposition to the hangar entrance, where movement it confined to a single hallway." She glanced at the Lieutenant. "Carry out that task. I will remain here until everything is done."

The fairy officer nodded, and began to relay the orders to the rest of the officers. Holly looked back to the battle, and frowned when she noticed that there were no attempts to advance. If anything the humans were hunkering down. Perhaps in anticipation of an—

_Oh gods! _Holly spun around, but it was too late to do anything. A massive explosion erupted overhead, tearing apart the ceiling and sending it crashing down upon the LEP lines, killing at least a dozen. Holly, rifle in hand, rushed to the scene, seeing Fern barking orders not far from the blast.

"Pull back now!" she screamed, her rifle aimed at the ceiling above.

Lieutenant Fern nodded, helping a wounded officer to his feet. "I'll get right on th—" He was cut off as a bullet tore through his helmet, followed by a dozen more as automatic fire erupted from above. Holly watched in horror as he was literally torn apart; as blood and gore flew everywhere. She was so shocked that it took her a few seconds to notice the humans rappelling down into their midst; the humans who had shot her officer. They had blown a hole right into the middle of the LEP lines, and had shattered their retreat. Now they were on top of them, mowing down everyone in their path with ruthless efficiency. The humans in the terminal began their assault in unison with the new forces, meeting little resistance as they advanced through the broken defenses.

Holly was at a loss for words, but she fought with pure rage. Brandishing her rifle, she took out enemy after enemy, screaming with anger. But even still, there were so many of them—too many of them.

The entire area had been reduced to a brutal fight, with soldiers from both sides now in such close proximity that fists and knives were being used just as commonly as firearms. The humans did all of that—they were completely merciless in their actions, willing to kill their enemy by any means necessary. Holly shot a human who was in the process of beating one of her officers to death with his bare hands, but as she helped the elf up she realized he was dead. Letting him drop, she turned on the nearest humans, dropping them before they could shoot her.

"Pull back! Everyone to the hangar entrance!" she yelled into the comm link.

She sidestepped a soldier who was using a combat shotgun, narrowly avoiding the heavy shot that erupted from its barrel. Kicking him in the knee, she broke his leg and sent him down, before stunning him with her rifle. Indeed, even after all of this, she was still using stun. Even with the humans slaughtering them, she held onto her convictions; to that which defined her as an elf.

With the fight now raging all around her, Holly did her best to help her comrades. Humans littered the floor as she placed perfect shots in them as they appeared. The bodies of her fellow officers were strewn about around her, and the sight of them spurred her furious resistance even more. An explosion went off right beside her, knocking her to the floor and riddling her combat armor with metal fragments. Only a few breached the armor, but they didn't penetrate deep enough. Much worse was the physiological effect of the blast; the dizziness, the shock, and the weakness. Holly pushed herself to her knees, shaking off the feeling as she viewed the horrid world around her. Death was everywhere, and now it was for those on both sides. It would seem that some of the remaining fairies had lost control of themselves, switching their weapons to the highest lethality out of anger and desperation. Fairies had a hard time killing even to survive, but such was happening here, and Holly could see by the number of humans with holes burned clean through their bodies that even fairy morality meant nothing on the battlefield. She struggled to her feet, reaching for her pulse rifle to find that it wasn't there. Drawing her Neutrino, she started to wade through the chaos, still in a horrified daze by all the carnage.

"Pull back!" she said hollowly, her words reflexive rather than anticipated. In moments like these, the brain fell back onto its habits. For Holly it was her ingrained soldier-sense.

Flames erupted behind her as an incendiary grenade went off in an LEP barricade, immolating the officers there. A group of humans to her right screamed in agony as they were shot to pieces by an elf that had gone mad. That same elf was shot in the back by another human, who then turned to her, his weapon smoking and spattered with blood. Holly didn't think; she acted. Her Neutrino fired just as the human fired, and luckily the human missed. Holly never did. As the soldier dropped, Holly started to move faster towards the fallback point.

_You have to get there. You have to command those who are left! They need you Major!  
_

She was passing a shattered barricade when a human backed right into her. She spun to meet him, and he turned around in shock—he seemed very jumpy. Holly went to stun him, but her weapon was shot out of her hand by a stray bullet.

"D'Arvit!" swore, opting to punch the human in the groin. He fell over, dropping his rifle, but he immediately drew his sidearm, aiming it at her head. Again, Holly was on him before he could fire, kicking the gun to the side as it went off and then drop-kicking the human in the head. His gasmask flew off, and what Holly saw gave her pause. Before her was not a monster, or a hard-as-nails soldier. It was a boy no older than nineteen, and he looked afraid. But more than anything, he looked so much like Artemis, though his eyes were brown instead of blue, and he did not have the ultra-intelligent glimmer that Artemis had. It startled her, but it also gave the young man enough time to reach for his fallen handgun. Holly snapped out of it when she noticed, tackling the human and sending the both of them sprawling off the debris of the barricade and onto the metal floor.

They grappled for a moment, but the larger human eventually kicked her off and scrambled for a weapon. Holly got up immediately, and when she turned to meet him she saw him bringing an assault rifle to bear, his fearful eyes filled with an anger that was a product of personal loss. Time slowed down as the young man put his finger on the trigger; as Holly tried to react. Everything was in a blur as she unconsciously reached for the Neutrino that was in the hands of a dead officer beside her, brought it to bear, and aimed it at the human. They both looked into each others eyes in that split-second moment, and despite his evident anger the young man hesitated. Holly did not. She pulled with trigger without even thinking, her hardened mind apathetic to it all. In that moment of reflexive retaliation she failed to notice the weapon's setting.

A lethal bolt of energy shot from the Neutrino's barrel, sizzling with heat and power. It struck the young man in the gut, burning right through him, eliciting a horrified cry that pierced above the chaos. Only when the young man dropped his rifle and fell to his knees did Holly realize what she had done; only then did she think clearly, and see clearly. Staring wide-eyed at the dying man, Holly could only rasp an unintelligible word of shock. She felt an avalanche of emotion, and it tore her apart a million times over. As the world around her exploded with violence and death, all she could do was watch as the human—so young and so terribly afraid—cried out for his mother while clutching his wound. He died a moment later, his last word nothing but a broken sob.

Holly stood there, staring into his dead eyes, feeling waves of horror and revulsion wash through her. She did not know what to do; her mind was flattened and tossed into the wind by what she had seen—the cumulative horror of war. The Neutrino fell from her grasp, clattering to the blood-soaked floor, but she remained on her feet, locked in place by shock and despair. Everything that was happening around her meant nothing to her in that moment—nothing existed but the line she had just crossed, and the permanent deed it entailed. He was just a boy, and she had killed him. It didn't matter that it was an accident; she felt something within her mind break all the same, and just like the life she had taken, it too was permanent.

A bullet whizzed right past her head, scraping her helmet's visor and leaving a crack in it. Holly didn't even blink. Though her thoughts didn't move at all, her body did—her solder-sense always took care of her. She felt hollow as she left the dead human, absentmindedly walking through the destruction, not knowing where she was heading. Bullets flew around her, but the devil's luck seemed to favor her today, and so she did not receive a single wound. Even as humans appeared before her, she survived, much unlike the kid she had killed. She didn't know how she made it, because everything was as if underwater—everything was distorted and meaningless.

She was in the hangar bay when she realized her surroundings and gained some semblance of awareness. Her officers were retreating. Shuttles were being loaded, and several of her subordinates were guiding her along the walkway to the ships. She didn't refuse their assistance—she had not the words or the strength to do so. Nothing occurred to her as she was helped into a ship, and seated by some very concerned officers. The terminal was lost, and yet that meant nothing to her either. She was numb—so terribly numb—and in that state of nothingness the only thing that existed was the look on that boy's face—so much like Artemis'—and his pitiful sobs for his mother as he bled out. Holly didn't notice anything as medical warlocks huddled around her; such was the state of traumatization she was in, a product of the cumulative stress she had been under. She didn't notice that her devil's luck had run out already; that a bullet had pierced her chest. Even as she lost consciousness, nothing occurred to her but that one act of violence. It followed her into the blackness of unconsciousness, a demon to torment her broken soul.

**Undisclosed Location, Geneva**

The small room was gloomy and bereft of sound; a prison that doomed one to perfect solitude. Only a bed, sink, and toilet were afforded to the poor soul within it, and they were about as bland as a white wall; there was no color or life to anything, only harsh simplicity. There were no windows, not even in the reinforced door that blocked the exit, leaving only a single bulb hanging from the ceiling as a light source. That flickering bulb never went out, making rest nearly impossible. After all, this room was not meant to facilitate one's needs, but rather drive one to the edge of sanity, and make them do whatever their captors wanted.

_How cliché. _Artemis Fowl the Second thought coldly as he sat on the uncomfortable cot, staring at the top-right corner of the room. A surveillance camera stared back at him, never letting him have a moment's peace. Artemis stared into it, hoping that his expression was unnerving the person who had been tasked with keeping an eye on him. That was really all he could do at the moment—scare the crap out of the security team. He wished more than anything that he could do something, anything, to help his friends, but here he was stuck in a cell, forced to live with its terrible lack of class and decency. He didn't even have a suit anymore, but rather a pair of terribly scratchy prisoner clothes.

He had been in and out of the cell for about a week now, going from interrogation to interrogation, and getting the same results every time. Since the moment he was captured he had made a case for the People, doing everything he could think of to make those who spoke to him question their belief that the attacks had been a premeditated betrayal. So far he had had little luck with any of that; everyone was far too horrified by what had happened to even consider the possibility that the People as a whole were not to blame. Artemis knew that he couldn't blame them, not after he received the news that it was not only Geneva, but dozens of major cities, that got hit. The millions of lives that were lost was a terrible blow to humanity, and it made war inescapable.

_War. _Artemis frowned as the thought about it for the umpteenth time. Those who were behind all of this had carried out a perfect black flag operation, framing the LEP and painting the entirety of the People as genocidal maniacs. Though a horrid concept, the first stage in any war was to dehumanize the enemy; to make them akin to monsters. Such had been flawlessly achieved. The bombings gave the humans the perfect _casus belli_. Thus, logically, humanity was convinced that it was fighting the _jus ad bellum_—a just war. It made the boy smile sadly. War was never just, not even this one. To his kind it may seem so, but the reality was quite different. In reality, a small group of operatives had taken advantage of the situation and provoked a war. The reason behind it still escaped him, because an interspecies war would leave nothing for anyone to gain in the end. No matter how long it went on for, total war between humanity and fairykind would destroy the world; even the greedy would shy away from that. Artemis had also tried to make that clear when he had been questioned by intelligence agents, but they seemed convinced that humanity could win outright.

"Fools, they don't understand," Artemis whispered, feeling worse as a result of thinking about the matter. He was tired, hungry, and dreadfully worried for his friends. At least ten times a day he would be interrogated, though according to his hypothesis they never once used the more _exceptional _techniques to get him to talk. They simply spoke to him, and Artemis always provided them with a truthful answer. Even still, the truth sounded like lies to them, because it was the opposite of their firm beliefs. And so the interrogations had become an exercise for the boy; some time to stretch his mental muscles and remain sane. He tore apart every single agent that interviewed him, turning the tables and making them the interrogated ones. It was all fun and games until they had had enough, deciding to lock him in solitary confinement for a few days. The only _fresh air_ he got was that from the hallway when the small hatch in the door opened for his meals. Artemis knew exactly how solitary confinement worked on the human mind, so he always kept his mind busy. With what? Pertinent thought.

But despite this he always took the time to think of his friends. Butler and Juliet would be worrying for him, and he felt terrible that he had forced them to leave his side. But Holly was much worse within his thoughts, because he knew that she had taken it very hard, and was no doubt fighting for her life at the moment against human forces. He silently wished her the best, a sad look in his eyes, and then looked at the door—it was about time for the meal.

Footfalls came from the other side, dull and muffled by the heavy metal barrier. They stopped abruptly, but instead of the food hatch opening, the whole door clicked and swung outward, revealing a group of men in suits, flanked by several armed guards. The foremost of the men entered, eying him intently.

"Hello Agent Gambino," Artemis said smoothly, appearing unsurprised. "Have you come to take me to another useless interview? I thought you had decided to confine me for a few days, unless your decisions are as flimsy as your understanding of interrogation rhetoric." Gambino was one of the intelligence agents tasked with breaking him. He was an ex-CIA operative, and an experienced practitioner in the Guantanamo Bay program. Needless to say, he tortured people for a living.

"Young Fowl, you are as plucky as ever," the middle-aged man replied. He studied the boy for a moment, tilting his head a little. "You still cease to amaze me with your ability to deceive. In line with those fairy bastards this entire time, and yet you manage to speak your version of the truth so well that it fools every polygraph test we carry out. Truly you are the most resilient mind I have ever had to deal with."

Artemis smiled confidently. "I'll take that as a complement. I do try my best to be a memorable patient."

The agent shook his head, smiling a little. "You have no idea what's coming, do you Fowl?"

That was new, but Artemis didn't show his concern. Instead he smiled again. "Perhaps a little soirée to ameliorate your terrible sense of humor? Please, enlighten me."

Gambino smiled threateningly in return. "Oh, you will find out soon enough. But let's just say that you are going to be going on a very long field trip to a place outside everyone's jurisdiction. In such a place we are not obligated to adhere to the Geneva conventions or human rights in general. You will tell us everything we need to know once we are allowed to use _real _interrogation methods."

"Really? What is your method? Electrocution, waterboarding, beatings, sleep deprivation, or perhaps playing terribly distasteful pop music?"

"All of the above plus fifty more, and those are the ones in the textbook. People in my line of work can be quite imaginative, and given what has happened to humanity we will take extra special time with you."

Artemis kept his composure, but inwardly he was feeling very uneasy. He didn't want to end up in some CIA black site. He didn't want to be tortured to tell them that which he already had. He needed a way out of this!

Gambino was silent, eying him coldly, his features showing no care for the young man. After a while he spoke again. "Anyway, I can tell by your lack of response that you are nearly pissing yourself. Good, that's the first stage of our program."

Artemis looked into his eyes, this time with a stern expression. "Then please, if you will, allow me to further do so in the oppressive silence of this cell. Your bombastic utterances are amusing me."

The man said nothing, only smiling slightly as he turned to leave. As he left he gave him some generic parting words.

"Be amused while you can, because tomorrow marks the beginning of your hell on earth." He stopped when he was out of the cell, and glanced back at him, a glimmer of regret in his eyes. "Such a terrible waste. You're the smartest person I've ever met, and yet you are my enemy. You could have changed the world for the better, but instead you set out to destroy it. Truly a great loss for human progress."

The door slammed shut, the noise hurting Artemis' ears a little. He grimaced, glaring at the exit. Truly he was dealing with some very dangerous people, and even though they were tractable at the moment, they wouldn't be when all the rules were gone. _I can't let it come to that! I have to find a way to get out of their hands!_

Artemis spend the remainder of the day thinking about the matter, trying to calculate any means of changing custody to another agency. But really, all of them were thinking of doing the same things to him, because all of them worked for nations that hated the People equally. Artemis sighed as the night wore on, his eyes tired and his mind worn out. The actions of a week ago were incorrigible, but there had to be a way to fix things in the long run. Even as things were now, there was always a way—he had to believe that.

But as the night wore on, and as the annoying light bulb flickered over his head while he tried to rest, he found little to work with. He was confined and alone, without any means of accessing his friends or useful contacts, and time was running out. A sense of hopelessness was starting to nag at his mind, but he banished it decisively, knowing that such thoughts would only cement his current lack of solid plans. But even still, as he thought endlessly in the maddening silence of the cell, he felt the looming dread of his judgment—punishment for actions he had never committed. It was terrible, how all of his kind believed him a traitor; it was punishment in and of itself.

"Holly…" he whispered, looking up at the ceiling. "What would you do in this sort of mess?" He never got an answer, but he smiled at the one he imagined he would get. He missed her.

Time dragged onward, and still nothing formulated. He was glad when the light bulb eventually went dead, but it also left him in an impenetrable blackness that was just as unnerving. Sitting up, he gave up his attempts to rest. Massaging his temples, he sat cross-legged on the bed and began to meditate. The cold room around him faded from reality as he delved into a sense of complete calm and control. Everything was certain here, and there were no distractions. Now he could get to work.

But be it fate or terrible luck, Artemis had no time to conjure any brilliant ideas. There were footfalls outside the door, followed by a loud clank as it unlocked. Artemis snapped out of his meditation, very much annoyed but also afraid. Were they back already? Was it really morning? Was it time for him to be dragged off to some godforsaken compound in the middle of some desert to be tortured? He hoped not, but even he had lost track of time, and that left doubts.

The door swung open with an unsettling groan, the sound of metal scraping on metal piercing the air. Artemis covered his eyes as light poured in from the hallway beyond, filling the small room. It took a moment for his vision to adjust, and once it had he looked to the doorway, where two armed men stood looming over him.

"Who is it?" Artemis said, realizing that these men were not Gambino's.

"Hello, Artemis Fowl," a female voice said from behind them.

Artemis' eyes widened—he knew that French accent. But no, it couldn't be!

The sound of heels striking the metal floor echoed in the air, and as the two guards moved aside, a familiar person stepped into view, her blonde hair shining in the artificial light.

"Ca va? It has been a long time, hasn't it Artemis?"

Artemis stared, astonished to see a face he had not seen in years, belonging to a person he never thought would be before him now. It was Minerva Paradizo.

**Author's Note:**

**Please review, say whatever you desire, I just need some two-way communication, otherwise it feels like I'm writing for a brick wall. Cheers everyone.**


	11. Paradizo

**Brief note: There will be no shipping, so don't get the wrong idea.**

* * *

**Undisclosed Location, Geneva**

There was a deafening silence as Artemis Fowl stared at the girl standing before him, completely floored due to how unexpected her presence was. But Artemis also knew that staring was not very polite, and so he quickly—out of an ingrained sense of decorum—broke from his trance and spoke.

"Minerva Paradizo…"

She looked him in the eye, and as he did the same he saw that glimmer of genius that he rarely saw—the same that others commented about him having. It was not surprising at all, for she too was a young prodigy, though its novelty was nonetheless astonishing. But what was more astonishing was how much she had changed from a physical perspective. When he had first met her during the Hybras incident she was only twelve years old. Now she was in her late teens, and despite his confusion Artemis couldn't help but note how alluring she had become with such years. Her brilliant blonde hair glowed even under the artificial lighting, and the fine features that composed her face were further accentuated by her piercing eyes, which contained the beauty of intellect; that startling glimmer of genius. Her figure, even when covered by a black tailored suit, was evidently perfect, though Artemis was far too enraptured by her gaze to gawk at such carnal temptations. It was a brief moment that contained all of this realization, but it was almost overpowering. Truly, in the time between this meeting and their last, Minerva had grown into a beautiful young woman. Such was quite evident to Artemis, but he was far more concerned with the implications of her presence.

"Minerva, what on earth are you doing here?" Artemis asked, his curiosity burning within him.

The girl was almost unreadable, and what he could glean from her was an iron sense of authority and seriousness. It made him uneasy, and such uneasiness doubled when she spoke.

"Sorry in advance, Artemis."

Artemis gave her a look, but before he could say anything Minerva's two bodyguards entered the cell and grabbed hold of him, stuffing a gag in his mouth while keeping him still. After binding his hands they pulled an impenetrable black hood over his head, effectively blinding him. The last thing Artemis saw was Minerva's cold expression, which could mean many things coming from her.

He saw nothing from then on out, but his other senses provided enough information. He was forcibly dragged from the cell by the two men, and then guided through the corridor by their strong hands. Minerva's footsteps could be heard right ahead of him, sharp compared to the heavier steps of her bodyguards, but apart from that there was little sound. No one spoke, and even though he couldn't see Artemis could tell that the armed guards that should have been posted in the hallway were not present. That made him wonder about Minerva's intentions, which were so far nebulous. How had she done all of this? She was a genius, so that really wasn't a big question. No, it was the _why_. Why was she doing this? Was she working for the government? Or was she doing this out of her own free will? And what were her motivations? Artemis knew that it could have been because she saw him as a friend in need, but he also knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch. There had to be a reason behind this, and it had to be linked to the war that was being waged. Minerva was too smart to be only interested in rescuing him, an act that would risk her life as well as her family. She, just like him, was always planning a next step.

The silent progression through the halls of the building went on for another few minutes with absolutely no interruptions. It was when they reached a door, and as the fresh morning air reached Artemis' nostrils, that the voices of confused and infuriated men could be heard far behind them. Artemis couldn't suppress a grin. _Too bad for you, Gambino._

He was unceremoniously guided into the area beyond, which was filled with fresh air, but still sheltered from the winds that howled in the distance. He could not feel any sunlight on him, so it was clear that they were in an underground parking lot, the fresh air coming from its opening and thus making that ominous noise.

"Mind your head," one of the bodyguards growled in his ear.

Artemis heard a car door open, and felt himself get shoved into it like a ragdoll. He would have protested their lack of care had he not been focused on what his senses told him. The seat was soft, and the smell in the air indicated a very expensively upholstered interior. It was easy to deduce by the entry that the vehicle was low to the ground, and when the door was closed behind him a simple tap of his bound hands on the glass window indicated that it was bulletproof. An armored car; it was definitely the right kind of getaway vehicle.

Artemis sat patiently as others entered the car, the first being someone sitting next to him. When everyone was seated the vehicle thrummed to life, its turbocharged engine making a very distinctive sound. Even after it started moving they didn't remove the hood that covered his head, or the gag that kept him from speaking, and no one spoke. Several times the vehicle was stopped, and Artemis could hear as its window was rolled down to allow for dialogue between its driver and security personnel. The chatter was relaxed, and there was never any sign of trouble; no one seemed to suspect anything. It made Artemis smile a little, even though he had no idea what his fate would be; Minerva had definitely done her homework. All intentions aside, she had carried out a flawless rescue.

The vehicle sped up after a while, evidently upon one of highways that composed Europe's E-Route network. It was after twenty more minutes of silence when Minerva, who was sitting beside him, spoke.

"We're clear."

Artemis felt a hand grab onto the hood, and there was a flood of light as it was pulled off. He blinked back tears as his eyes adjusted, and after a moment he could see clearly. The first thing he saw was Minerva looking right at him, a relieved expression on her face.

"Artemis," she said friendlily, her previous sternness gone completely. She hugged him, surprising him yet again, and with his hands bound he could do nothing but accept the friendly gesture. She spoke into his ear. "It's been so long since I've last seen you. I'm sorry for all of that by the way. As you well know, plans will be plans."

She let go of him, beholding him once more, an open smile on her face. That smile made her look a lot more like she had years ago; it banished the weight that had been in her eyes and replaced it with the girl that Artemis had known all those years ago. He had not seen her for so long, and this change in demeanor made the passage of time a little less shocking.

Minerva studied him for a moment longer, and then yanked the gag out of his mouth, much to his relief, and subsequently removed the cuffs binding his wrists.

"Now we can talk, Artemis," she said.

The boy rubbed his jaw tenderly, letting the stiffness from the gag subside. He was still floored by what had happened, but he composed himself with ease, knowing that Minerva once looked up to him as a child, and thus expected a lot from him. He looked into her eyes, nodding at her sincerely.

"Thank you for what you did. If it wasn't for you I'd be at the mercy of those abhorrent intelligence agents. You saved me, and it was no small risk you took in doing so."

The girl nodded, an odd expression crossing her face for a fleeting moment. Then she was herself again. "It was nothing. I was just helping a friend in need."

Artemis held her gaze, having noticed the brief shift in demeanor. "Surely, after all that has happened between humanity and the People over the last few days, that isn't the only reason. Minerva, I have not seen you in years, but I still trust you as I did then. I know that you did not rescue me out of kindness alone. Please, you can tell me. Nothing you can say will change that trust, because I know that you are a good person."

Minerva studied him for a moment, a sad look crossing her face. It was such a sudden change in mood, like night and day. Sighing, she sat back against the seat, looking ahead into space.

"You're right. I did not come to your aid for such simplistic reasons. If anything, such reasons are secondary compared to the others." She spoke her words softly, not even blinking. "With all that has happened, there is no way that friendship can bear more priority than necessity—that which is central to our very survival."

There was a terrible look in her eyes, but Artemis could see that it was very well controlled; it was almost invisible. Just like him, Minerva was very proficient at suppressing emotions, and that was not necessarily a good thing. Holding everything in only gave an outward appearance of strength, when in reality it broke the person on the inside. Artemis had done this for many years before he met Holly, and look where that had gotten him. Seeing it in Minerva made him frown, but he also understood that there were reasons behind the pain she felt; he just didn't know them. Still, he refrained from asking, content to listen to Minerva as she continued.

"Over the last week the terrible thing that I always hoped to prevent has gripped the whole world. As you know from out past interactions, I only ever wanted to protect humanity from the People. I used to think that they were a threat, and that helping humanity defend itself from an attack would get me the Nobel Peace Prize. But after I met you, Holly, and the others, I realized that the People were not to be feared; that humanity itself was the danger. And so my ambitions changed. I believed in peace between them and our kind, hoping that no one would be hurt in some senseless conflict based on ignorance and fear." She shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. "I failed to prevent anything. I didn't even see it coming."

Artemis felt her pain. He too felt utterly broken by the fact that he had failed to prevent a war from happening. Nevertheless, he kept listening, a friend to silently hear the troubled girl out.

"I first learned of the People's discovery from one of my contacts within the UN. Naturally I was intent on helping both sides reach an agreement, but I was incapable of getting involved before _it _happened..."

"The attacks," Artemis said softly.

Minerva nodded morosely. "It all happened so fast. It was terrible, so bereft of mercy or reason. I could do nothing as it killed millions that I had hoped to protect, and as it cemented the eruption of a war. I felt hopeless, and it left me broken… I still feel broken." She was shaking a little, unable to hold back her emotions as a tormented look began to form on her face. "My father was in Paris with Beau when it happened. Beau loves cars, just as so many hyperactive young boys do, so father took him to an auto show for his eleventh birthday. He was so happy, and he wanted me to go with him too, but I was not myself given the news of the People's discovery. In the end that saved my life, but they…Beau and Father…they're…" She couldn't go on about it, breaking down into a fit of sobs. It had only been a week since that traumatic event, and wounds such as this took a lot longer to heal.

"Minerva…" Artemis said softly, shocked by the terrible news.

She glanced at Artemis, wiping away her tears to no avail. "I'm sorry, I just—"

Artemis didn't think. He gently grabbed hold of her, and held her close. "No, I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "I am so sorry."

Minerva was surprised for only a moment, and she didn't resist—she cried into his shoulder, soaking it in moments, as if she was letting out all of her anguish and fear in one torrent of emotion. In that flood of grief she cried her heart out, her beauty turned delicate by the redness of her eyes and the streaks of tears upon her cheeks. She looked so broken all of the sudden, but it wasn't a bad thing. Crying was not a sign of weakness in times like this; it was a sign of love for those lost, and a necessary step to recovery. If one didn't express such emotion in the face of such a loss, they were certainly not human, and they certainly didn't appreciate the beauty of life.

Artemis sat there in silence, allowing for her to finally let it all out—allowing Minerva Paradizo to properly deal with the loss of her family. He didn't feel awkward at all, holding the beautiful girl so close, nor would he ever regret it. She was his friend, and she needed someone to console her; for someone to be strong in her moment of rightful weakness. He too had been broken like her once, and he had been lucky to have Holly there to keep him together. What he did now was simply doing what any good friend would do, and he was further motivated by his own experiences. He knew what it was like to lose, and he understood the pain of feeling helpless to change that which the cruel world had made a reality. He was no stranger to sorrow.

Minerva cried for a little while longer, each passing minute showing a steady decline in her sobs and tears, like the ebbing of water from a broken reservoir. She eventually stopped altogether, regaining some semblance of control.

"Thank you," she said softly, her voice still rife with emotion, but much less than before.

"It was nothing," Artemis replied.

He let her go, and she slowly sat back as she had been before, staring ahead. She looked terrible—her puffy eyes and soaked face—but her frailty was gone almost entirely, replaced by a fierce expression that was complemented by a dangerous glint in her intelligent eyes. She said nothing for a few minutes, evidently collecting herself. Artemis waited patiently, knowing how difficult it was to piece oneself together in times of great sorrow. Letting the girl recover, he glanced out the tinted window, watching as the beautiful landscape of Southern France passed by. The sun was now breaking through the clouds, casting its warm rays upon the earth, and banishing the dreary shadows of an overcast day. Artemis was almost lost in thought when he heard Minerva speak again.

"Artemis, you wanted to know why I rescued you, so I'll tell you. I know that I couldn't leave you to such a fate, but it goes beyond that." She paused, looking at him once more. "The attacks that were carried out on humanity were horrendous, and because of them everyone is convinced that the People are monsters, and thus do not think twice about waging war. Such is a natural response, and I feel for them, but I also know that they are wrong. After all that I have seen of the People, I know that this sort of evil is beyond them, or at least is not representative of their kind as a whole. I think you know this as well—that this whole mess was intentionally orchestrated by some other force, one that wants humanity and fairykind to destroy each other. Such is madness, but there have been madmen throughout history who have tried to accomplish acts of comparable darkness. Now is another instance of a few corrupt beings turning the whole world into a warzone, but unlike other times in the past there has been no greater provocation or fear than this. Humanity is afraid of total annihilation, and it is united in an effort to save itself. That makes it a just war from their perspective, and such makes it a whole lot harder to stop, because everyone is convinced that there is no other way."

Artemis nodded, a frown on his face. "I know that all too well. I spent hours trying to talk some sense into my interrogators, but none of them were remotely interested in considering the possibility that they were wrong in their perceptions of the People. As far as they were concerned I was in league with them—a traitor—and that I was simply trying to deceive my own kind once again." He sighed sadly. "They see me as a monster as well. They think that I am no better than those who murdered millions of innocent people."

"But you're not," Minerva said immediately. "You're one of humanity's only hopes of finding peace. That is why, more than any other reason, I rescued you. Had you remained in their custody you would only continue to tell them the truth, and they would continue to disbelieve you. That cycle would never end. What would humanity—or the People for that matter—gain from that? Nothing!" Minerva paused, letting her growing fury subside, and taking a few breaths before going on. She then spoke with a calm but nevertheless sad voice.

"Though I am capable of many things, I find myself lacking in the skills required to solve the problem we now face. I want to find those responsible for this war, and I want them to be brought to justice before both peoples. I want humanity to see that they were wrong; that they were fooled by a brutal foe who wanted them to destroy those who could have been wonderful friends." Her expression deepened, a hateful sorrow in her eye. "For my father and brother, I want to set things right. I want nothing more than for this bloody war to be finished. I may have failed to stop it, but I will see it brought to an end, no matter what. Such convictions are powerful, but they are without substance when I lack the experiences you have had; when I lack your abilities." She looked him in the eye, her own containing immense determination. "I need you, Artemis. The whole world needs you."

Artemis stared at her, taken aback by her confidence in him. She was of comparable intelligence to him, and yet she did not think herself capable of making a difference in the crisis. She saw Artemis as the only one who could change anything. He didn't like that; he didn't see her as a lesser being. He knew that her lack of confidence was a product of her own feelings of inadequacy that came from her inability to save those she loved, and he knew that it would last for as long as such negative perceptions propagated within her mind. Such was not a healthy state of mind for saving the world, and it was not part of the Minerva he knew. That had to change.

"Will you help me?" she asked, a little desperation making its way into her voice.

The young man held her gaze, certain in his words. "I would never consider doing anything else. But I am just one man, and I cannot do this alone. I am not as powerful as I may seem, and I would not be where I am today had it not been for the help of my friends. You saving me from my prison was a clear sign of that." He paused, smiling a little. "The real question is will you help me, Minerva?"

She stared at him. "Of course I will! I will do everything I can!" She stopped abruptly, her eyes downcast. "Though so far my _everything_ hasn't been enough…"

"Then stop thinking of me as somehow superior to you. The only reason I outwitted you during the Hybras incident was because of the assistance of the LEP and my accumulated knowledge of the fairies. Had our roles been reversed it would have been the same outcome." He ignored her incredulous expression and pressed onward. "I know how you feel, after what has happened, but you must not think of yourself as incapable; as dependent upon me. You are the smartest human I know." He smiled reassuringly. "When I first met you, I knew that I had met my match. Minerva, I do not think of you as anything but my match. We are equals, you and I."

"Artemis…" the girl said, astonished by his words, which broke through her false perception of inadequacy.

"Minerva. If we are to save this world, we will have to do it together, as equals. I will not have it any other way."

Minerva looked into his eyes, smiling a little. She didn't speak for a long while, and when she did her voice was filled with gratitude. "Thank you for believing in me…I find that hard to do after losing so much."

Artemis put a hand on her shoulder. "It is nothing. You've already saved me once, and now you are risking your life to do even more. I am in your debt."

Minerva shook her head. "You owe me nothing. As you said, we are equals."

That made Artemis smile. "Then let us get to work."

**Paradizo Chateau, Southern France**

The _Alpes-Maratimes_ of Southern France was a brilliant display of snow-capped peaks and lush valleys; a beautiful contrast that brought the best of both topographies. Rivers ran from the icy peaks, their fresh water trickling into the many small lakes that dotted the lower areas, which were so pure that they were transparent and filled with life. Between these deep valleys sprouted the looming mountains of old, their peaks reaching to the clearing sky, where the sun hung lazily amidst the canvas of blue and white. In the far distance, masked by the haze of evaporating morning dew, was the city of Nice, and beyond stretched the Mediterranean Sea.

Amidst all of this, situated on a plateau below of snowline, was the Paradizo Chateau. Originally built in the nineteenth century, the chateau was a remarkable piece of architecture, combining Neoclassical and Second-Empire features. Its walls were built from solid white stone, and its overall appearance was stately and formal. Perfect symmetry combined with taller second story windows to make the building look higher than it was, and the numerous flourishes within its design gave it a greatness of a different kind. The grounds were vast and green, with classical pavilions anchoring its sunken gardens, which were vibrant and well tended to. Olive trees lined the stonework driveway, which cut a straight path through the grounds towards the chateau entrance. Overall, the Paradizo Chateau was a fitting home for the renowned family, their success evident in every fine detail that caught the eye.

The crisp mountain air was penetrated by the drone of an engine. A black car—an armored Mercedes S550—drove up the narrow and loopy road that led to the chateau, eventually reaching its iron gates, which opened upon its arrival. As the car drove through the grounds, Artemis Fowl eyed it all with great appreciation, the tinted windows doing little to dull its beauty. The last time he had seen the chateau was when he and the gang were breaking Nº1 out, incidentally making a big mess of the place. Even now he remembered how ridiculous it had been, particularly with Mulch and Doodah Day being involved, and the memory made him smile. Looking at the place now it would seem as though nothing had ever happened. If fact, it looked almost identical to its appearance back before they had ruined its grounds. But Artemis didn't fail to notice all of the differences, which were mainly in security. Apart from the ubiquitous cameras and security guards, the mansion sported bulletproof reflective windows, and a myriad of other features that were invisible to the eye—except for Artemis' of course. Overall it combined brilliant classical design with state-of-the-art technology and excessive security, just like Fowl Manor.

"I can see that our little incursion back then is but a faint memory on the image of this place," Artemis said. "It is remarkable how little it has changed. It feels as though time stands still at Paradizo Chateau." _So untouched by the war that is raging, as if those terrible things never happened._

Minerva smiled at him. "You and your friends caused almost a million euros in damages. You also wiped out my security with a single helmet-mounted laser."

Artemis chuckled. "That was Foaly. He was quite vocal in his excitement."

"I wonder how Butler and Holly are doing," Minerva said softly, her mood somber for a brief moment.

Thinking of those two, and of the rest, elicited a pain within Artemis' heart, but it only showed in the reduction of his smile.

"Yeah, me too."

The car drove to the end of the road, coming to a halt before the chateau's main entrance. As the driver switched off the ignition, the other bodyguard got out of the vehicle and came around the side, opening the door for Minerva. As she got out, another guard opened the door on Artemis' side, allowing for the boy to step out into the open air. It was refreshing, the smell of the mountains, and the cool breeze ameliorated the discomfort of having to sit within the armored car for a few hours. Taking a relaxing breath of the clean air, Artemis stretched his legs, which had fallen asleep from prolonged sitting.

"Let's go inside, Artemis," Minerva said in front of him, indicating towards the steps that led up to the entrance.

As the two of them started towards the stairs, the car started up again and drove off down a tributary road towards the garage. Artemis glanced at it as it went, and noticed something quite interesting.

"Diplomatic license plates," he said with a grin. "My goodness Minerva, you surely have been busy."

The French girl looked over her shoulder, grinning a little. "Well, I am a genius."

They entered the chateau a moment later, flanked by several guards and met by three more upon their passage through the doorway. They stopped in the anteroom as Juan Soto, the head of security, came to receive them.

"Miss Paradizo, I am glad that you have returned safely," Juan greeted.

"Thank you Juan," Minerva replied, nodding to the man.

Soto turned to Artemis, a wary look in his eyes. "And you are Artemis Fowl the Second. A very controversial person you are, but I trust Miss Paradizo's judgment. So long as she wills it your presence here is a secret."

"Enchanté, Mr. Soto," Artemis replied with a grin. "I trust that your security measures have been improved since our last interaction?"

There was a flash of indignation in the man's eyes, but it quickly subsided. "Indeed. Paradizo Chateau is a veritable fortress. You will be safe here." His expression changed all of the sudden, and he leaned in closer to look Artemis in the eye. "But should you do anything to harm Miss Paradizo, I'm afraid we will have to act accordingly. I have no doubt that you have heard the terrible news of Gaspard and Beau Paradizo's murder by those creatures you support, so I trust that you understand me when I say that I will do everything in my power to ensure Miss Paradizo's safety. I owed Gaspard and Beau better, and I failed them. Gaspard Paradizo entrusted his daughter's safety to me, and that responsibility will not change, even after his untimely death. I will not let you or anyone else further hurt Minerva."

Artemis and Soto stared each other down for a few seconds until Minerva interjected.

"That's enough, Soto," she said firmly.

"But Miss Paradizo, I only have you well-being in—" He noticed the look she was giving him, and quickly bowed his head. "Of course, forgive my insolence. I will leave you two to your own devices."

Juan Soto immediately left with the security guards, leaving just the two of them in the elaborate anteroom of the chateau. Minerva indicated towards the hallway, and they both started to walk down it.

"I'm sorry for his behavior. He was a close friend of my father's, and he cared for Beau like a son. He's still coming to terms with it all."

Artemis nodded, eying an Édouard Manet painting hanging on the wall to his right. He noted that it was an original, and then switched his gaze to Minerva, who was walking a little ahead of him, evidently leading him towards a specific place. She stopped at a heavily engraved doorway, and turned to look at him.

"I know that you tired and hungry, but such needs will be met in time. Before anything I need to talk with you in private."

She opened the door, and ushered Artemis into one of the most dazzling studies he had ever seen. Lined with books of all sorts, and smelling of old paper, the room was a silent place for the pursuit of knowledge. It was furnished with a classical theme in mind, with no piece of décor any newer than the late nineteenth century. Artemis glanced about with appreciation for all of the fine details and wondrous works of literature that he could see. Truly he and Minerva thought alike with regard to many things.

"Please, sit," Minerva said, gesturing towards two Victorian lounge chairs that were situated by one of the large windows. When they were both seated Minerva glanced at her watch, and then set her intelligent eyes on Artemis. "Now we are completely alone. No one will hear anything you and I say in this room, I guarantee it."

Artemis nodded, studying the girl in return. "What do you wish to hear?"

Minerva leaned forward, her expression showing both her boundless anguish and her fiery determination.

"Everything. You will tell me everything."

Artemis did so without hesitation. He started with the secretive meeting held by Section 0, and from there covered everything that had happened since the People's discovery. He spoke, with as much calmness as he could muster, of the People's preparations for the negotiations, on the conference itself, and lastly of the brutal attack on Geneva. He set out every detail he had in his memory—which was very thorough in its collection and retention of such things—and painted with his words an exact recount of his experiences over the last few weeks. Minerva listened intently the entire time, not saying anything at all, not even as her eyes betrayed her feelings for what he was saying; her anger and disgust for the terrible events. When Artemis was finished he sagged back into the comfortable seat, taking a deep breath as Minerva contemplated it all; recounting such terrible experiences was tiring even for him. The sun had long since reached its apex in the sky, and was now descending towards the horizon. It had been hours since he had started talking.

"Thank you," Minerva said after a few minutes of reflection. "I needed to hear it all, regardless of how terrible it was. I needed the truth."

Artemis eyed her intently. "Now that you know the truth, what will you do?"

"All that I can, as will you," she replied. "Together we can find a way to stop this. I know that to be true."

"How shall we proceed?"

"You're the one who deals with fairies. What do you think, Artemis?"

The boy glanced out the window, noting how the day had passed so quickly. "Our first priority is to make contact with the People. Holly and the others will be indispensable allies in any effort to make peace. With the full weight of the LEP on our side, we will be better equipped to track down the fairies that did this, as well as any other accomplices to this plot."

Minerva nodded, but frowned at the same time. "That may be a lot more difficult than you anticipate. Making contact with the LEP will be…complicated."

Artemis cocked a brow. "Do tell."

The concern on her face deepened even further. "You have been locked up for a week. A lot has transpired over that length of time. As you know, humanity has already made its move against the People; an offensive far greater than any other military action in history. United, the combined power of the world's military vastly overshadows that of the People, and the anger for the attacks on our kind has made us far more zealous that we have ever been. There is virtually no opposition for the war; everyone wants to see the People wiped out entirely." She paused, an anxious look in her eyes. "The fact is that those who leaked the People's existence have given humanity the locations of all of their surface terminals. Our retaliation was almost immediate, and over the last few days we have destroyed or overrun every single terminal that the LEP had under its command. Therefore, the People are almost completely trapped below the surface, and that makes it hard for us to reach them. Furthermore, the LEP's surveillance and hacking advantages have been countered by some of our greatest minds. The People's technology that we have thus far captured is being rapidly reverse-engineered, and advancements have already been made to effectively negate the LEP's superior technological advantages. For example..." Minerva procured a few documents from the table beside her. "My sources within the American DHS Science and Technology Directorate have recently informed me that we have broken the LEP's stealth algorithms, and have found ways to circumvent their shielding. These advancements are but a few amongst an entire list that they, along with R&D agencies in every corner of the world, are working to unravel."

_Foaly would not like that. _Artemis thought, furrowing his brows. "What is the current state of the conflict? Have our forces progressed any further into the People's territories?"

"That's what will make reaching the LEP difficult," Minerva replied. "There is currently no viable method that our forces can use to traverse the magma chutes that lead to Haven or other settlements. Furthermore, there are many other limiting factors that make it difficult for any further advance belowground, such as air pressure and electromagnetic interference. And when it comes to Atlantis, its depth is well beyond the maximum reach of our submarine fleets. As a result of this, humanity is at a virtual stalemate with the LEP. A war of attrition. They have since blockaded every chute entrance, and have astronomical amounts of hardware being deployed to those areas. To put it another way, for us to get to the LEP would mean having to get past the most heavily militarized zone on the planet."

"But the LEP have ways of reaching the surface without using chutes," Artemis replied. "We may not be able to get to them, but they can surely reach us if need be."

"Risky, but it is possible. The issue would be contacting them without being detected. Any transmissions coming from below the surface are at risk of being intercepted. Though well encrypted the LEP's communications may be, I wouldn't underestimate the abilities of our intelligence agencies."

Artemis smiled. "I was being interrogated by those buffoons for days. Even underestimating them leads to disappointment. Don't worry, I will find a way to contact Holly discretely. Though I no longer have any access to fairy technology, I can easily put something together. But what can be done on the human side?"

Minerva glanced out the window as the sun broke through the clouds. "You saw the diplomatic plates on my car. I have created and nourished advantageous relations with many powerful figures in the political spectrum. I can pull more than a few strings, and those who have worked with me will listen to my argument regardless of their prejudices."

"Excellent," Artemis said through a thoughtful smile.

"We can discuss more of this later. It's almost supper, and you look tired."

"I'm perfectly well," Artemis said. But when he rose from his seat he realized just how exhausted he was. Truly a week in solitary confinement, with little food or rest, had done a number on his body. It was worn out; fatigued by days of restlessness.

"On second thought, that may be a good idea."

Minerva smiled. "Artemis Fowl admitting that he was wrong? Am I dreaming?"

Artemis smiled faintly in return. "Let's refrain from getting into a discussion about neurobiology. That could take weeks to finish."

The girl nodded, veritably amused. "You're right. Let's get going before we digress any further."

The next hour or so was spent seeing to Artemis' necessities. Such included eating an exemplary meal, bathing for the first time in a week, and acquiring a fresh suit from the wardrobe. Once he was feeling more like himself again, Artemis refused any more special treatment—Minerva had been spoiling him enough already. The remainder of the day was spent discussing the matter at hand, and drawing out more substantial plans. It was very serious work, but it soothed Artemis in a way that surprised him; perhaps the feeling of being empowered to change the crisis, and the promise of subsequent action, was a very powerful anxiety repellant.

The day soon turned to night, and so enraptured were the two of them in their work that they barely noticed. When they did it was almost midnight.

"You should rest, Artemis," Minerva said, glancing at her watch.

Artemis nodded, but gave her a concerned look. "As should you."

She gave him an amused expression in return. "I'm not the one who has been undergoing solitary confinement for a week, plus endless grilling by obtuse intelligence agents."

Artemis nodded reluctantly. "Good point."

Minerva led Artemis to one of the guest rooms, ensuring that he had everything he needed. She could have had one of her butlers do that, but for some reason she took it upon herself.

"I hope it will suffice," she said as Artemis looked over his accommodations, which were exceptionally good for a guest room. "There are better rooms, but they belong to my fami—" She stopped abruptly, a sorrowful look upon her face. Artemis quickly distracted her from the terrible memory, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you, it is perfect," he said with a smile.

Minerva nodded, her sorrow still mirrored in her eyes, but much less pronounced. "Get some rest. We will be rising early tomorrow, and from there we will begin." She went to leave the room, but hesitated at the door. Glancing back, she whispered almost unintelligibly to him.

"Goodnight, Artemis."

She left noiselessly, closing the door behind her and leaving Artemis alone in the comfortable room, what little light there was from a small lamp casting shadows around him. He stared after her for a few seconds, thinking about her, but eventually pushed the matter aside in favor of the warm bed that had been tempting him for some time. Laying down on it was like heaven compared to the terrible bed he had been afforded in his cell, and after he had removed his suit and dress shirt, he climbed below the covers and let himself lay there in silence, trying to fall asleep. Such was about as difficult as expected, with all of the worries plaguing him. But being a master of his own mind Artemis was able to banish such things, and with such clarity of mind he was quickly set upon by the fatigue he was under. Such tiredness soon had him fast asleep, and in that state of obliviousness he didn't notice the door—which had just opened a creak—silently close again.

Minerva frowned as she left the door, feeling a little guilty for spying on him. But she couldn't refrain from making sure that he was asleep—that he was finally getting some rest. It was odd, but she felt responsible for him. She had saved him from becoming a project for some twisted CIA interrogators, and defied the most powerful governments in the world in doing so. So, it actually wasn't odd at all. Didn't anyone who saved a kitten from a rabid wolf feel a certain degree of responsibility for it, especially when said kitten had a ridiculously high IQ and the ability to stop world war three? Besides, he was her guest, and as a Paradizo she felt obligated to give him the most proper treatment, even if that meant resorting to spying in order to ensure that his accommodations were satisfactory. She gave it no more thought than that, because there was so much to think about already.

"Sleep well," she whispered, walking down the hall with the moonlight casting her shadow along the wall beside her. She needed to rest as well. Truly the coming day would be tiring enough as it was.

**Author's Note:**

**Just trying to work with Minerva's character here. Don't worry, no shipping will transpire between them. I just want to emphasize the friendship between them that builds upon their existing relationship from the books. Tell me what you think.**


	12. Know Your Enemy

**Holly's Apartment, Haven**

The small apartment was the epitome of hopelessness; a reflection of a tormented soul. Everything was a mess, more so than usual, with pieces of LEP gear scattered about as if forgotten. Days old food sat on the counters, and other objects cluttered every flat surface, rendering the place a total disaster. It was silent and dark, so dark that it was almost pitch-black. Only a pale light cut through the darkness, emanating from the holographic television display as it portrayed the terribly negative broadcasts of Haven's news agency. It's ghostly glow made the decrepit apartment look like something out of a horror film, casting shadows that were deformed and taunting.

_But what does it matter? What does anything matter?_

Holly sat on the small couch, slumped over as she stared blankly at the television screen, her eyes devoid of emotion. She didn't even pay attention to what it was showing—facts that she already knew from firsthand experience—and it was muted so as to leave the room cloaked in a dreadful silence that was only broken by her shallow breathing. She, just like her residence, was a total mess. Her hair was mangled and unwashed; her body tired and aching; her visage cold and her eyes fraught with fatigue. She looked like someone who had been through hell and back, still haunted by the images it left imprinted on her mind. Such was not too far from the truth.

As she stared at the holographic screen, Holly looked onward into the images that haunted her—the memories that were only a day old. The battle for E76 had been a complete disaster, with almost all of its defenders killed or severely wounded, including most of its commanding officers. And yet here Holly sat, alive and well while so many of her friends had died. The fact was that she too had almost been killed; a bullet had pierced her chest and just barely missed her heart. It had taken the medical warlocks hours to save her, and even after their tireless efforts she was still terribly weak and pained—her body worn out by fighting to survive. But she pulled through in the end, for what little that was worth. Really, all it did was free her up to be tormented by her memories; tortured by that which she had seen and done.

Holly knew that it was some sort of post-traumatic stress, but such did nothing to change how it hurt her. She found herself incapable for thinking straight, and every moment she closed her eyes was ruined by gruesome images. It was torture just being alive.

As a result of her injuries and psychological harm, HIGHCOM had taken her off active duty, giving her indefinite leave for her to piece herself together. Indeed, she felt broken, like a mirror thrown from a rooftop; she was not herself anymore, and it was a serious possibility that she never would be again. Her soldier-sense combated such thinking, but even that part of her was quiet and useless, its iron determination gone amidst a torrent of anguish. This rarely happened to her—she could count the instances on one hand—but here it was again, brutally vivid and mercilessly persistent.

Holly sat there for the longest time, unable to sort herself out. Her stomach growled at one point, and it gave her something practical to do. Getting up, Holly steadied herself with her hand, her legs asleep and her muscles still aching. She made her way to the small kitchen, retrieving some MREs from a cupboard and ripping them open with a combat knife. Setting the knife aside she looked at the unappealing food with acute disdain, but she was not in the mood to make anything herself. She was a soldier—food was food, no matter how terrible it tasted.

The elf slumped back down on the couch, absentmindedly eating the dry food while staring at the holographic screen. As always there was news about the war with the humans, and as always it was terrible. So far the People had been dealt a withering series of defeats, losing all of their surface terminals and outposts. The human forces were unable to make any meaningful advances into the underground so far, which was good, but the standoff was doomed to end eventually. _Those humans will find a way to kill us. They hate us with a passion. _Holly shivered as she remembered the day before. Truly that had been hell on earth.

It angered Holly beyond measure how no one had any leads on those responsible for the war; it felt hopeless now that it had begun. Even if they found those behind it, what hope was there to stop what had been set into motion? Was there any point in letting a glimmer of such hope reside within her mind? In her state of depression it was hard to hold onto any optimism at all.

"Gods what have I done," she said to herself unconsciously. Then it surfaced, the memory she had buried in desperation; the brutally vivid memory of her killing that young man. It hit her like a raging troll, resulting in an eruption of sorrow and aversion. She felt sick all of the sudden, so sick that she had to stumble over to the bathroom and stick her head in the toilet in order to cope with it. The images of that boy, so much like Artemis, burned in her mind, and it didn't take much more to make her vomit. Her meal was gone just like that, but she didn't care. She was far too stricken by the memories that haunted her to give a damn about nourishment.

She was in that position for a few solid minutes, heaving nonstop. It was terrible, but such was the reality of life; the wretched truth that this was now the norm. The sickness eventually subsided, leaving her empty and dehydrated, and as she slumped against the wall beside the toilet she fought back tears. She thought she had run out of tears, but again she was wrong; again she was surprised by the depth of her torment. Did it ever end? Was there any respite to the pain she felt?

Holly hung her head down in despair, but be it a stroke of luck or a gift from above, her communicator beeped, dashing her sorrow and bringing her thoughts into focus on something that she could handle. The device was in her pocket, and when she took it out she stared at it for a few seconds, wondering if she should answer, or if remaining alone was the better choice. _No, I can't take any more of this. _She answered the call, bringing the device to her hear.

"Who is it?" she said flatly.

"_Holly it's me, Foaly,"_ the centaur replied. He sounded gravely concerned, and there was no small amount of weight on his own voice as well. He had been through a lot lately too.

"Foaly…" Holly said softly, feeling comfort after hearing her friend's voice. "What's going on? Is it about Artemis? Tell me, please."

"_It's not about any of that,"_ the centaur replied. _"I want to talk to you about what you're going through right now.'_

Holly frowned, but kept her voice composed. "I'm fine."

"_No you're not!"_

His voice was stronger than hers at that moment, and it surprised her. Holly sighed, letting go of her pride. "I know…I just can't process all of this. It's too much. I don't feel like myself anymore."

Foaly's voice was filled with understanding. _"I know how you feel Holly, and believe me it isn't worth it. You did what you did because you had no other choice. Me? I created the weapons that were recently used to murder millions of people like the boy you shot. It doesn't matter how indirect my involvement was, I still enabled it! And I failed to notice anything before it was too late! So believe me when I say that I feel your pain. I know what it's like to feel like a monster, and it hurts."_ He paused, evidently calming himself. _"But we can't let that idea grow within our minds. We did not mean for any of this to happen, and our hand in its execution was something that we couldn't predict. It was an unknown-unknown, and there is no sense in hating ourselves for not being able to see it coming."_

Holly nodded, but didn't feel much better. "But I pulled the trigger. I— "

"_You did not intend for it to be that way,"_ Foaly interrupted. _"You are not like that. You just…made a mistake."_

"One I will be wearing for the rest of my life." Holly shook her head. "And all the others. My officers; my friends. They all died before my eyes, and there was nothing I could do. It was madness, and I was powerless to stop it. I was responsible for their lives, and I failed them too."

"_Holly," _Foaly said softly, _"You can't save everyone. No one can. You do your best, and that is what matters most."_

"But—"

"_What would Artemis have to say about this? What would he say to you if he saw you right now, destroying yourself with loathing?"_

That made Holly's thoughts stop where they were, all settling on her human friend—her best friend. Artemis always had something wise to say, and Holly knew that he would speak out against her depression. Thinking about the boy allowed for her sadness to subside, at least for the moment.

"He'd tell me that I am wrong," the elf said after a moment, smiling a little. "He would go on in some verbose lecture about how nonsensical I am being, and that continuing would accomplish nothing but further grief." Her smile grew as she envisioned that boy giving her that verbal admonishment. By the gods would he be right.

"_He believes in you Holly, just as we believe in him,"_ Foaly said softly. _"He will turn up soon, I know it, and when he does he will have a plan. He will need you more than ever when that time comes—we all will."_

_He's right_. Holly thought, the centaur's words helping her back from the brink of her despair.

"_Now will you please stop this nonsense? Holly, can you please move on?"_ Foaly asked.

It took her a few moments, but she nodded. "Yes…Yes I can."

"_And you will,"_ Foaly replied.

Holly nodded again. "Thank you Foaly. I wasn't thinking straight…"

"_I am just helping a friend in need. I am glad that you are starting to reclaim yourself."_ He sounded relieved. _"I've known you for so many years, and you have always amazed me. You are strong, don't you ever forget that."_

"Thank you," Holly said, not knowing what else to say.

"_Now get some rest. You need it. If anything happens regarding Artemis you will be the first to know, I promise you that."_

"Alright then, I'll let you get on with your work. Thanks again Foaly."

"_Take care Holly."_

"You too."

The line went dead, leaving Holly alone in the oppressive gloom once more. But now she felt a lot different than before—he friend's caring words had made a far greater difference than anything she herself could have done. She still felt terrible, and her body still ached, but at least her mind was a little more at ease. That made a world of difference.

Leaving the bathroom—and the stench of vomit—behind, Holly went to the television and shut it off, leaving her in an almost complete darkness. A glance at her holographic clock indicated that it was one-thirty in the morning; by the gods how time was dragging so slowly. She knew that she had to at least try to get some sleep, especially when she was determined to be ready when the time came for her to rejoin the conflict to help Artemis, so she stumbled over to her bedroom in the darkness, knowing by intuition where to put her feet. She eventually found her bed, and without hesitation she collapsed onto it, intent on falling to sleep. Unlike before sleep came easily, almost instantly, though it was by no means peaceful—her dreams were haunting her at every step.

She awoke abruptly in the middle of the night, and after a tired glance at the clock she frowned. It was only three in the morning. Irritated by her restlessness, the elf dug herself back into the pillow, trying to sleep again. That was when she heard them.

An almost noiseless sound crept from the other side of her apartment, reaching her ears despite her exhaustion. It made her eyes open wide, and her heartbeat ramp up. Someone was in there with her. Holly slowly shifted herself to look in the direction of the noise, purposefully looking like someone tossing in their sleep. Now on her back, she opened one of her eyes ever so slightly, careful not to make any sudden movements.

Even with one eye she could see the intruders. There were five of them, and they were all shielded—good thing Holly had an eye for that, and thus easily noticed their shimmering presence. They had silently opened her door, and were creeping their way towards her, the faint hum of fully charged pulse rifles evident in the air. There was no way of telling who they were, but they definitely weren't LEP, and judging by their impolite actions thus far, they were certainly there to kill her. Such made her boil with anger. These had to be the same kind that had started the war, now in her apartment to silence her for reasons unknown. Holly would have growled had it not been a bad idea at the moment. Instead she waited in silence, slowly moving one hand under her pillow.

Three of the intruders stopped in the space beyond her bedroom, while the other two continued into the room, their movements slow and cautious. When they were nearly upon her, both of them unshielded, thereby ceasing the vibrations that would otherwise throw off their aim. Holly had closed her eyes again, but she could hear them above her. She could also feel the grip of her Neutrino, hidden beneath her pillow. She always kept one there, just in case.

As their three colleagues waited outside, the two unshielded operatives—dressed in full tactical gear—loomed over Holly, their weapons held menacingly. Their lack of further action made it clear that they were waiting on an order, and Holly used that time to grip her Neutrino properly and activate it. She opened her eyes ever so slightly, and as she did she saw the helmeted assassins looking back at her, their impenetrable visors hiding their faces. One of them nodded to the other, who then switched off his rifle's safety. The order for her execution had been given. Holly tensed up at that moment—she would have to be quick.

The assassin brought his rifle to bear, aiming it at the side of her head. At that precise moment, when she knew that any further waiting would end in her death, Holly exploded into action. Moving faster than her foes could react, she swatted the barrel of the rifle to the side, while simultaneously bringing her Neutrino to bear. The assassin shot the wall beside her in surprise, and as the second one brought his weapon up, Holly shot him in the chest. As the one enemy fell, Holly grabbed a pillow with her free hand and tossed it into the others face, buying her enough time to tackle him and separate him from his weapon, and then shoot him several times. This happened in less than five seconds, and when it was over there were three more assassins aiming their weapons right at her, their anger hidden behind their helmets.

"Oh d'arvit," Holly deadpanned.

The three assassins opened fire, peppering the bedroom with dozens of lethal shots in less than a second. Holly had thrown herself behind the bed, and she couldn't help but frown as her furniture was shredded to pieces by the laser blasts. "There goes my apartment. These assholes have no idea how badly the insurance company will hit me for this!"

A laser blast rushed past her head, burning a fist-sized hole in the wall. Holly grunted with annoyance as her assailants continued to spray her position. They were intent on shooting until there was nothing left to hide behind, and they seemed to be in no rush to get any closer to her. Clearly they were wary of her skills. That made Holly grin despite herself. _Not wary enough!_

With adrenaline pumping through her veins, Holly felt none of her previous depression or fatigue. She was a pumped-up recon jockey with a really bad temper—those assassins had no idea what they were in for. She was angry at them, not only for trying to kill her in her sleep, but also for being part of the traitorous enemy that had ruined everything. People tried to kill her all the time, she was used to that. It was the _kind_ of enemy that really pissed her off; the kind that cared for nothing but bloodshed. After all that they had done, they deserved nothing but judgment.

Holly waited as the enemy bombarded her even more. She waited even as laser blasts nearly struck her, knowing that now was not the right time to attack. That time came soon enough.

The three assassins kept shooting until the entire area before them was filled with smoke from the burning wall, which had more holes in it than a dam made out of Swiss cheese. They had thermals no doubt, but they couldn't see Holly behind the burning remains of the bed. Surely, after all of that firing, the elf had been killed? Keeping their weapons raised, the three assassins inched towards Holly's position, cautious despite their overwhelming advantage.

"That's right, just a little closer…" the elf growled, knowing their position just by the sound of their footsteps. She waited until they were just within the room, and then sprung up from behind the burning bed, her Neutrino on target in an instant. But she didn't shoot the enemy—instead she shot the pressurized emergency fire extinguisher that was on the wall behind them. The canister exploded in a cloud of escaping fire retardant, filled the room with white and sending two of the three assassins tumbling over. They fired their weapons into the mist, hoping to strike Holly, but she was not where they thought she was.

_Idiots. _Holly thought as she rushed at them, now at their side. She tackled the foremost assassin with so much force that she sent him flying into his comrades, his weapon spraying laser blasts in all directions but hers. At the same time she aimed her Neutrino, blasting the one who was trying to bring his rifle to bear in the face, sending him toppling over. The third, caught underneath his tackled comrade, had no chance. Holly shot both of them as they struggled to right themselves.

_I need to contact Trouble about this. _She thought as she stood over the stunned assassins. In the smoke and gloom she almost missed the shadow coming at her from the room beyond. It was another assassin, one she hadn't seen with the others.

Holly glanced at the assassin as he fired at her, and by luck alone the shot struck her Neutrino, sparing her life but also depriving her of a weapon. She saw the pulse rifles on the floor, but the assassin was too close for her to get to them, so in a crazy move she rushed right at him, much to his surprise. A laser blast shot from the rifle, but Holly twisted to the side as she rushed him, narrowly avoiding the first shot. By the time he fired again she was on top of him, punching him in the neck and prying the weapon from his hands. The assassin fought back, hitting her while he tried to regain control over his rifle. Holly growled at him, glaring as she did everything in her power to keep her foe from killing her. She would not let him win; she refused to die in her depressing department.

"Let go!" she yelled, kicking him square in the crotch, eliciting a muffled shout from the helmeted fairy. His grip on the rifle weakened, and so Holly pried it from him. However, before she could bring it to bear the assassin struck it out of her hands with a powerful kick, sending it clattering into the gloom. The assassin then procured a combat knife, and lunged at her.

Holly gritted her teeth as she dodged the wicked blade, which glinted in the light from the fires behind her. The assassin attacked again and again, never giving her a chance to counter his moves, his blade slicing through the air with a frightful whoosh. The melee backed Holly into her kitchen, and eventually into the fridge, leaving her nowhere to go. With the assassin stabbing for her head, she thought quickly and dodged to the side. At the same time she grabbed the handle of the fridge and threw the door open, deflecting the assassin's stabbing arm and giving her a window of opportunity. Seizing that split-second moment, she threw a bunch of slimy leftovers into the assassin's visor, and followed up with a swift kick to his legs, sending him to the floor with a loud thud. He still had his knife in hand, but Holly stomped on said hand with her heel, forcing him to let go. She then knelt down, fury in her eyes—she was far from finished.

"You thought you could murder me in my sleep? Coward!" she growled, grabbing his helmet and ripping it off. The elf behind it looked astonished, but his eyes betrayed no fear; he smirked at her. That changed when Holly landed a devastating punch on his face, followed by another, and another. The elf struggled to reach his knife as she struck him, but it was no use. He gave up on that approach, and instinctively used his free hand to reach for the grenade he had on his belt. Holly saw it, and reacted accordingly. Grabbing the discarded knife, she stabbed his hand where it was, bringing him to a halt just an inch away from pressing the detonator. Even as he cried out in pain Holly didn't let up, absentmindedly taking the grenade and tossing it aside.

"I'm not done with you yet!" she growled, pulling the assassin up and slamming him into the cupboard, the knife now pressed against his throat. "Tell me what you're doing here! Who sent you?"

The elf coughed, swearing vehemently. "I'm not telling you anything!"

Holly slugged him in the face, breaking his nose. "How about now?"

The elf was in immense pain, even as his magic healed his wounds. He glared at her with a dark look in his eyes. "We were sent here to kill you, to make it look like a suicide."

"Why?"

The elf spat in her face, cursing her with words that even she didn't speak. It made her even angrier, and she took it out on his face, landing a punch of such force that it knocked him unconscious. Realizing that he was out cold, she released him.

"Count yourself lucky," she said to him as he slumped to the floor. She went back to her bedroom, which was a smoldering mess. Grabbing one of the assassins' pulse rifles, she made sure that they were unconscious, and then went to get her communicator. It had fallen out of her pocket onto the kitchen floor, and after she picked it up she glanced at the knocked-out elf, and then the grenade on the floor beside him. "Better safe than sorry," she muttered, stunning him three times for good measure.

Holly was about to call in the attack when her apartment's door burst open, through it coming Butler and Juliet, their weapons drawn and ready.

"Holly, are you alright!?" Butler bellowed, aiming at the unconscious assassins, his eyes filled with a ruthless determination.

"Compared to these idiots, I'm golden," the elf replied, setting her pulse rifle against the wall. She was not surprised to see the Butlers, as they had been given their own temporary residence a few floors below her. They had been getting very upset over the last few days, not being able to do anything but wait for Artemis to resurface, but they kept themselves occupied by watching Holly's back. After getting back from the battle she had warned them to leave her alone, given her mood, but they had remained nearby, always there just in case she needed them. It was funny, how in Artemis' absence they protected her, as if she was the closest extension of that boy. It gave her a peculiar feeling, one that was by no means unwanted. It also made her feel bad that she had been refusing their help lately.

"I shouldn't have shunned you two earlier," Holly said after a moment, an apologetic look in her eyes. "I was not myself."

"It happens to the best of us. We understand," Juliet said as she knelt down beside one of the assassins, cautiously prodding him with one hand while keeping her handgun aimed with the other. "These are the same guys who attacked Geneva…"

"And now they're trying to silence anyone who can stop them," Butler growled. "It is no mistake that they targeted you, Holly. They are after anyone who could unveil their identity."

"I know," she said, punching in a code on her communicator. "I have to inform Trouble immediately. More importantly, we need to get these guys to HQ. They will know who is behind this."

"Indeed," Butler said, his voice rumbling dangerously—he was quite angry with the assassins for going after his friend.

The Butlers went about restraining the unconscious assassins as Holly connected to Trouble.

"_Holly, it's almost three-thirty in the morning…"_ the elf said immediately upon answering, no doubt woken from his slumber.

"Sorry Trouble, but something's happened, and we need to act fast."

"_Holly, what happened? Are you alright?"_

She told him, and when she was finished Trouble sounded as if he had just ingested several human energy drinks; he was wide awake now. _"I'm sending several units to you now. I'll have a retrieval team transport the prisoners to HQ. From there we can interrogate them."_

"You better get Foaly over there pronto then. Ordinary methods don't work on these guys."

"_I'll get him on the line immediately. Take care Holly, I'll see you soon."_

Holly put down the communicator, and glanced over to the pile of tied-up assassins a few feet from her. Butler and Juliet had already done their work, and were now waiting on her.

"Let's go," Holly said firmly. "It's time for the truth."

**Lower Elements Police Headquarters, Haven**

It was very early in the morning, and as a result most LEP personnel were away for some desperately needed rest. The LEP HQ still operated fully with an overnight team, but it was still far less congested. That made it much easier for the elf, two humans, a retrieval team, and six unconscious captives to traverse the narrow hallways. Holly was leading the group, her uniform relatively ordered but her hair still a total mess from the busy night. Her visage was set in a perpetual look of determination, and there was a harsh glint of anger there was well.

"_Holly, Foaly has just arrived. Meet us in the interrogation room,"_ Trouble said over her earpiece.

"Copy that," she replied. She stopped when they reached a junction in the corridor. Indicating down one way, she turned to the retrieval team. "Take all of them but one to the holding cells."

"Which one will you take?" the team leader asked.

Holly's expression didn't change as she eyed the elf that had sneaked up on her, and incidentally almost killed her. She noted the rank insignia on his attire, one that universally stood for Lieutenant. "That one seems to be their commanding officer. We'll start with him."

The retrieval team silently went about their work, heading down the corridor towards the holding area while Butler kept the one assassin in a vice grip. Juliet stood calmly beside him, a Neutrino in hand just in case they needed to stun the prisoner again. She also had her Sig Sauer just in case.

"Let's go," Holly said, starting down the opposite direction.

The three of them, plus the unresponsive captive, made their way to the interrogation room, a place that the LEP only used if all other methods failed, or if national security was in great peril. In this case it was both. The door opened noiselessly upon their arrival, and as they entered the room they were greeted by Commander Kelp.

"Good work," the elf said, worry evident on his face as he beheld a very disheveled looking Holly. "Sorry that we weren't there to help you. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you."

Holly smiled slightly, patting him on the shoulder as she walked past him. "There's nothing to be sorry for. Now let's get this traitor to Foaly. I'm dying to know what he knows."

They found the technomaniac in a smaller room, surrounded by advanced equipment and enough monitors to make most people's heads spin. He was so concentrated in his work that he didn't see them coming until Holly tapped him on the back.

"Oh, you're here," the centaur said after a moment of surprise. He tapped a few more buttons on the console, and then turned around to see them. His eyes were just as tired as Holly's, but his face held volumes of anticipation—an eagerness to finally know who used his inventions to start a war. "I've got everything up and running. We could use a retimager, but I would like to employ a more thorough method."

"Something new?" Holly asked, cocking a brow.

Foaly grinned with pride, but quickly regained a serious composure. "As you may or may not know, I have been working on a more stable means of attaining information from obstinate patients. It's called a Neurological Data Interpreter, or NDI for short. It scans the brain on a molecular level, traversing its synapses in electronic pulses that mimic the normal functioning of the brain. Through a process that would likely baffle anyone but me—and Artemis—it collects specific data from the patient's compiled memories, capable of singling out a desired topic, and making a virtual copy of all the related information. The data is then translated into a readable format, which we can then understand and utilize." He paused, looking at the unconscious elf as Butler carried him into view. "That one doesn't stand a chance against this technology. We will read him like a book."

"A very abysmal book more than likely," Holly mumbled.

Trouble came into view behind Butler, looking a little impatient. "Let's get started as soon as we can. We don't know if they are willing to retrieve their captured operatives. If they are, we should get this over with before they can."

"I agree," Butler growled.

"Okay, put that lunatic on the scanning table," Foaly said as he trotted over. After Butler gently placed the assassin on the table, the centaur went about connecting a myriad of wires, sensors, and other odd devices to the elf, finishing off by putting a ridiculous looking helmet over his cranium. He then went back to the control booth, where he set his hands on the controls. "You guys may want to get in here with me. This technology hasn't been tested on a fairy patient yet."

That made everyone rush into the secure booth, and with the door sealed behind them they were hopefully safe from any possible dangers. As they spectated Foaly's work, the centaur rubbed his hands together and began typing away on the keyboard.

"Bringing systems online, activating synapse diagnostics…we have a link!"

Everyone looked to the sedated elf, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing seemed to be happening, but a glance at Foaly made it clear that there was a lot going on beyond the visible spectrum—the massive grin on his face as he observed lines of code was indicative of that.

"Got anything yet?" Holly asked, noting his elation.

"Oh, not yet," the centaur said excitedly. "It's just so exciting, running around in someone's head. I amaze myself with my intellect sometimes."

Holly gave him a flat look. "You don't say. Just get what we need from him. No need to show us his childhood memories or what his culinary tastes are."

"Patience, this is an art as much as it is a science."

The centaur continued to work, his machines beeping now and then to indicate something only he knew. After only a minute of operating there came a shrill beep from the console, followed by a startling flash of red from an emergency alert. Foaly paled as he stared at his monitor, the vitals of the assassin appearing before him.

"No, that can't be right!"

Holly glanced out to the operating room, her hand instinctively on her holster. "What is it? Is your technology malfunctioning?"

"It's not that!" Foaly rasped, tying furiously. "Something is literally liquidating his synapses, destroying everything!"

"What?!" Trouble exclaimed, casting aside protocols and opening the door. He stormed out to see the prisoner convulsing violently under his restraints, his eyes impossibly wide and red with bursting veins.

"Oh gods!" Holly rasped, seeing it for herself as she and the Butlers went out too. She turned to Foaly, angry and desperate to keep the elf—their only way of attaining the truth—from dying. "Foaly, can you stop it?"

"I can't! It's something completely unrelated to the NDI. I'm doing a scan now!"

Holly frowned, returning her gaze to the convulsing elf. He was now conscious, screaming with immense agony, blood seeping from every orifice in his body. It was terrible, utterly sickening, as she watched the elf's condition deteriorate, his body looking as if it were being eaten away from the inside. It got worse and worse, and then, all of the sudden, the elf was dead, his screams gone and his convulsions reduced to a few dying twitches. Holly just stared for a moment, wondering what had happened. Then she stormed back to Foaly's booth, a sickened and angry look on her face.

"What the hell was that!?" she asked, pointing to the dead assassin.

Foaly didn't answer for a moment as he stared at his screen, viewing the results of his scan. After a few seconds he shook his head, utterly appalled.

"I can't believe it. I've never seen such a thing, so brutally thorough," he said to himself.

"What?" Holly pressed.

The centaur looked at her. "Nanobots. They used nanobots to silence him."

Trouble had by now returned to the booth, his own expression one of frustration. "Nanobots?"

"Yes," Foaly replied, looking a little sick. "Whoever employed this elf implanted a small fleet of microscopic biomechanical machines into his bloodstream, programmed to target his organs and, most importantly, his brain. They were just activated from a remote signal, but I cannot trace its source. The nanobots completely liquefied his synapses, and fried every part of the brain that could tell us anything about his memories."

"What about the others?" Butler growled.

Everyone stopped, the color draining from their faces. At that exact same moment a member of the retrieval team tasked with guarding the other prisoners burst into the room, a horrid look on his face.

"Commander Kelp! The prisoners are all dead! Something killed them from the inside!"

"D'Arvit!" Trouble yelled, striking the wall with his fist out of sheer rage. "Those bastards took away any chance we had at finding them! They predicted our every move!"

"Thorough for sure," Holly said coldly, eying the dead elf. Truly it was a terrible way to die.

"What are we to do now?" Trouble said, furious. "We just lost our sure shot at solving this mess! We didn't even get anything out of him!"

"Actually," Foaly said from his seat behind all of them, "I did get something."

Everyone turned to the centaur, and all eyes were on him in that instant. No one spoke, but everyone noticed the look of complete terror in Foaly's eyes. He read the screen several more times, as if what he saw was too terrible to think possible. After triple checking the results, he sat back in his chair, his eyes wide with realization.

"This whole time, and we didn't even notice," he whispered.

Holly, greatly impatient and extremely concerned, walked over to the centaur and looked at the screen herself, determined to know that which he was so astonished by. She didn't need to be a genius to understand what it said, and as she read her it mismatched eyes went wide with realization. A wave of surprise and a sense of betrayal washed through her, and in her heart she felt an overflowing hatred for the ones she now knew to be their enemy. The two words that identified said foe burned into her memory, a glowing target for her to destroy. Finally, after all this time, she knew her enemy for what they were, but more importantly, for who they were. Holly clenched her fists, her eyes burning with rage, and with a truly terrifying tone she said their name—the name of their ultimate betrayers.

"Section 0."

**Haven Terminal – LEP Sector**

Section 0's Commander in Chief walked through the busy terminal, the hot wind from the chute blowing around him, and the sound of aircraft howling overhead like the cries of wretched monsters. He was perfectly at ease—by all accounts someone who had absolute confidence in himself—and as he made his way towards his private shuttle there was no one who dared get in his way. Flanked by ten of his operatives, all armed to the teeth, he was very hard to refuse, and the fact that he was perfectly fine with killing any annoyances at the moment served as an efficient contingency.

_It would seem as though my welcome here is about to come to an end..._ Torin Carnunnos thought to himself as he approached the VIP landing pad, flanked by his ruthless agents. He nodded to an oblivious LEP officer standing guard as he passed him, barely suppressing a smile. _Fools, all fools. Too bad Foaly is not so stupid._

He reached the top of the landing pad, where his private shuttle waited. Its sleek hull loomed before him, and its pilot was already powering it up, its engines producing enough turbulence to make a terrible mess of his hair, though he didn't care in the slightest. As Torin made his way towards the craft, he pressed a button on his earpiece, receiving an instantaneous response.

"_What's the status of our loose ends?"_

Torin Carnunnos was stone cold; the demeanor of a killer. "They've been taken care of. However, Foaly managed to glean enough information before the nanobots could finish their work. I'm afraid that they know of our involvement."

"_It was bound to happen eventually. I'm actually surprised it took them so long, almost disappointed,"_ the voice replied, seemingly unfazed. _"Regardless, they are too late. They cannot stop us now."_

"But they will try," Torin cautioned.

"_Let them come,"_ the other replied, malevolence now evident in his tone. _"I have not come this far to be beaten by them again. I will grind them into dust before this week is out."_

"But what of Major Short? My operatives failed to kill her…" Torin growled, climbing up the steps into his shuttle.

"_Just another vexation to eliminate. I will deal with her personally,"_ the male voice said. He then chuckled dangerously. _"In fact, I'm glad that she's alive. I'm looking forward to meeting her again, and subsequently slaughtering her."_

Torin only nodded, situating himself in one of his shuttle's soft seats. He buckled himself up absentmindedly, still listening intently.

"_This marks the next stage of the operation, my friend,"_ the voice said after a moment. _"Make sure that you are not followed. Kill anyone who tries."_

Torin smirked ever so slightly. "I won't have to. I made sure that their response will be delayed."

"_Good. I'll speak to you when you return. There is much work to be done."_

The comm link went silent, leaving Commander Carnunnos to his work. He nodded to his pilot as the rest of his agents took their seats around him, their faces impassive and their eyes cold. The door to the shuttle closed, and the feeling of taking off immediately occurred. Torin looked out the window with general disinterest as the shuttle flew over the terminal, passing all of its security without any challenge.

_This game is getting even more treacherous, so much so that I find myself conflicted. But it is far too late to change anything now. No, the playing field is set in stone, and the final round is about to begin._

Torin Carnunnos glanced out of the window with amusement, seeing as a few LEP officers finally received a call from Trouble about the most recent development. A useless effort.

_Fools. All fools. _

The Section 0 shuttle, black and intimidating, shimmered as it blasted off into the chute, its engines flaring like the nostrils of a fiery beast. Then it was gone, disappeared completely from all eyes and all sensors, never to be found again.


	13. For My Brother

**Paradizo Chateau, Southern France**

Artemis awoke to the comforting sound of birdsong as it passed from the outside world through the room's open window. The sun was shining brilliantly beyond, and a warm breeze, soft and consoling, gently wafted in with the golden rays of light, smoothly caressing Artemis' face as he blinked back his sleepiness and became fully awake. He remained where he was for a few minutes, enjoying the calm and savoring the temporary feeling of blissful ignorance, before rising to meet the inevitably challenging day. He was alone in the guest room, but judging by the courteously opened window and the fresh clothes on the chair beside the bed, it was clear that one of Minerva's attendants had been through not too long ago. Breathing in the fresh air that blew into the chamber, Artemis climbed out of bed and got dressed, and afterwards he set about ensuring that he appeared as impeccable as statistically possible—a force of habit that was impossible to forgo.

"It is hard not to ponder what this day will hold, even if it is just conjecture," Artemis said softly as he peered out the window, eying the robust mountains and vibrant landscapes with an appreciative eye. No doubt it would be filled with arduous tasks, but he was used to that. It was what would result from such tasks that he was interested in—if their efforts would bring forth a palatable difference in the currently appalling state of affairs.

Letting the matter drop for the time being, Artemis slipped on the pair of Oxfords that were by the bed and started for the door. He opened it gently, stepping out into the hallway and closing it behind him without a sound. He then started down the hall in the direction of the anteroom, where he knew he would find Minerva or someone who knew where she was. There was always to option of going to her chambers, but that was completely disrespectful and rife with wanton curiosity, neither of which he himself stooped to committing. He was about halfway to the anteroom when Mr. Soto appeared from an adjacent hallway, almost startling the boy with his sudden appearance.

"My apologies, Mr. Fowl," the man said, sounding relatively sincere in his words. "I meant to find you in your room, but I see that you are an early riser. Miss Paradizo is waiting for you on the patio. Breakfast will be served there at your leisure."

Artemis nodded in appreciation, though his expression was enigmatic. "Thank you. I trust that you will accompany me there?"

"Of course," the man replied. "This is no modest residence. It is easy to lose your way."

The young man followed Soto through the corridors that composed much of the Paradizo Chateau, passing alluring pieces of art and sculpture all the while. It was a visual treat, just walking through the place, and Artemis found himself wondering if the Fowl Manor could use a little more decoration; perhaps a little more _Renaissance._

"Just through here," Soto said placidly, leading Artemis through the lavish dining room and out onto a natural paving stone patio, which overlooked the grounds and basked in the open air and sunlight. A single set Victorian patio furniture was situated near the perforated parapet that guarded the edge of the raised area. There were two seats, and one was occupied by Minerva, who was looking over the beautiful landscape with her back to them, her blonde hair blowing in the breeze and shining in the morning sunlight. Artemis stopped short of the young lady, not wanting to interrupt whatever moment she was having, but Soto kept moving.

"Miss Paradizo, I have brought Fowl, as you requested," he said courteously.

Minerva nodded, still looking over the landscape. "Thank you, Juan. You may leave us now."

"Certainly," Soto bowed. He left without another word, leaving the two of them alone.

Minerva turned around to look at Artemis, brushing her hair away from her face so she could see him properly.

"Please, sit down, there is no need to be so formal," she said with a smile.

"My sincerest of apologies, I prefer to be circumspect when I am someone's guest," Artemis said, taking a seat opposite to her. "Besides, it would be foolish of me to do as I pleased while residing here. You have done me many favors, and I have yet to contribute any in return."

"Liar," she replied, grinning as she shook her head. "You do not give yourself enough credit. I guess there is no helping a Fowl."

"Perhaps not," Artemis said.

Minerva laughed a little, which was very much to Artemis' relief. After all that she had been through, laughing was something that was hard to do. He was glad she felt well enough to partake in humor; most people would be far to broken to speak.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked him.

Artemis nodded immediately. "Almost exceedingly so. I have not slept that well in days."

"For quite obvious reasons," Minerva added.

"Indeed. I am rested enough to function properly today, unlike before."

"Well, that is good to hear," Minerva continued, looking back to the mountains in the distance, "Because today is going to be a very long day. We must carry out the first stage of our plan, and it will expose us to a lot of dangers." She paused when her one of her attendants quietly entered the patio, carrying several dishes. "But let's eat before we do that. As my father would say, an empty stomach brings empty thoughts."

Artemis saw the sadness in her eyes at that moment, but he said nothing—Minerva was strong, and he knew that continuous consolation would not only irritate her but also throw off their productivity. She was fully capable of righting herself whenever she fell into sorrow; she was a brilliant girl, and helping her all the time would only make her feelings of insufficiency take hold again.

They ate the lite breakfast in silence, and it was not because they had nothing to say. The food was delicious—an exceptional instance of French cuisine with its rich tastes and subtle nuances—and Artemis found himself finished before he knew it, nothing left behind. Going from prison food to this was like going from a horse-drawn carriage to a Lamborghini.

The attendant took away their plates when they were finished, and almost immediately upon the maid's disappearance Minerva snapped into a serious mood.

"It is a shame that such pleasantries cannot be enjoyed a little longer, but we are running out of time. We should get started."

Artemis nodded silently, and as he did Minerva reached into her pocket and procured a small device. Setting it on the table, she slowly pushed it to Artemis, who was eying it calculatingly. He knew what it was in an instant.

"That is a fairy communicator," he said, looking up from the object to Minerva. "How did you recover it?"

"One of my contacts managed to get it to me early this morning. This particular communicator is from Geneva. It belonged to one of the fairy provocateurs before he was shot dead. As you can see, it too received the same treatment."

"That is quite apparent…" Artemis said, noting the bullet hole in the communicator's screen, and the smattering of dried blood that was no doubt from the fairy who had owned it.

"It's the best I could get," Minerva said regretfully. "The others were seized by government forces and taken to research labs. Even acquiring this one was difficult. Will it be enough?"

Artemis studied the apparently broken device for a few seconds, and then smiled slightly. "It is more than sufficient. I can easily rewire it, and I can encode it so that any transmissions are masked by numerous decoys that will throw off most surveillance technologies."

Minerva smiled. "Bien, I knew that I could count on your experiences."

"Likewise," Artemis replied sincerely.

"There is a workshop inside," Minerva continued. "I will show you to it. It has everything you will require. You can use it to whatever lengths you see fit. In the meantime I will see to the implementation of our other contingencies."

"Exquisite," Artemis said, taking the device and carefully putting it in his pocket.

The two prodigies stood up at the same time, the sun blazing between them against the natural backdrop of mountains and forests. Minerva indicated towards the door, her visage illuminated and glowing in the sunlight.

"Shall we?"

* * *

A few hours later, within a particularly lengthily hall of the Paradizo Chateau, a heavy wooden door swung open, from it coming the scent of soldering and the heat of overclocking computers. Artemis stepped out of the workshop, looking a little disheveled after the work he had just done. It had taken a little longer than expected, but he had it—he had a working communicator capable of reaching the Lower Elements. Now he had to confirm that it its functionality wasn't just an assumption, but first he had to talk to Minerva to ensure that everything else was in place. It was not just a simple act of calling up Holly and asking for a pickup. On the contrary, there were other things that needed doing, such as an escape plan should their call be intercepted by human agencies. Minerva was taking care of all of that, and Artemis had complete confidence in her.

He had the communicator stored away in a small protective case, which he carried with him. Quickly traversing the halls, he eventually found Minerva in the main foyer, speaking to Soto and several of his subordinates. She turned to meet Artemis, temporarily postponing their conversation.

"Artemis, you are finished already!" she said excitedly.

"Here we are, the fruit of my toil," the boy replied, opening the case to reveal the communicator, minus its bullet hole and bloodstains. "I completely reworked it. If its previous users had any bugs or countermeasures implanted within it they are completely useless now. I assume that everything else is ready?"

Minerva nodded. "Everything is in order. We just have to make the call."

"And call we shall," Artemis said, taking the device out of the case and holding it carefully. He paused, looking from it to Minerva, a feeling of concern creeping over him. He looked her in the eye. "Once we do this, there is no going back. The consequences will be invariable."

"I know, and I accept the risks for what they are," she replied, her eyes filled with determination.

It was a look of complete acceptance for whatever may come as a result of their efforts. She was set on changing the world; on stopping the evil that had killed her family and ruined so many others. That fearless look, in all of its sharp details, reminded Artemis a little bit of Holly, and he smiled despite himself.

"Thank you, for everything," he said.

Minerva shook her head. "Think nothing of it, Artemis. As you said before, we are equals in this." She nodded at the device. "Now go ahead. Begin the endgame."

Artemis nodded, switching his attention to the device. He knew exactly what to do, yet he hesitated for a moment, unwillingly reminded of all that could go wrong. But there was also all that could go right, and that was what he held onto. Pushing his worries aside, he primed the communicator for a single, powerful burst. Once it was activated, he punched in the code to the LEP ops booth—a code that he had memorized long ago, and even though it was changed on a regular basis he knew the algorithm Foaly used to alternate it. With that code he would have an instant connection to Foaly, or at least a ping that would direct his attention to them. It didn't matter if he could say anything—he had programmed the device to send a coded message the moment a connection was made. With the code entered in, Artemis hovered his finger over the last command prompt.

_Here we go…_

He pressed it, and at that moment the device went to work, just as Artemis had programmed it to. Everyone waited in silence as the communicator sent its encrypted transmission, and after a moment it beeped, indicating a successful link.

"Are we through?" Minerva asked.

Artemis put a finger to his lips, and slowly brought the device to his ear. There was no static on the other side, and he could hear enough background noise to tell that there was someone listening on the other side.

"Foaly, can you hear me?"

There was no response for a few seconds, and as Artemis waited he heard some things in the background that didn't remotely match what he would expect from the ops booth—the sound of chirping birds, of a gentle breeze, and of heavy combat boots striking a flagstone path. Artemis froze, his eyes going wide when he realized where those sounds were from. At that exact same moment, in a tone that was terribly familiar, a cold voice spoke to him.

"_Not who you were expecting?"_

Artemis dropped the communicator, and glanced at the nearest window. He saw a flicker of movement, and then turned to Minerva, who looked to have come to the same conclusion.

"Run!"

There was no time to even walk a few paces, let alone escape. With a resounding explosion the front door of the Paradizo Chateau blew open, smoke and the scent of semtex filling the air in an instant. The blast threw everyone to the ground, and in that moment of chaos Artemis grabbed Minerva and shielded her with himself, his action reflexive and desperate. They were both thrown into a wall, striking it at great speed, knocking the breath from their lungs and disorienting their senses. Having lost hold of Minerva, Artemis crumpled to the floor and landed on his face, temporarily shocked by the explosion. But despite this, the sound of gunfire brought him into focus once again.

As fire consumed what was left of the anteroom, the reinforced windows on both sides of the entrance were blown out as well, and through the smoke of those smaller explosions came heavily armed men, their weapons aimed and ready. Dressed in black and with no markings at all, the intruders sported top-of-the-line gear, and moved in such a way that made it evident that they were very well trained. Artemis knew immediately what kind of men these were, and he felt fear creep into his mind as he knelt beside Minerva, who was still dazed.

Gunfire erupted as the intruders opened up on Minerva's bodyguards, who were still trying to get off the floor. Most were killed in an instant, but Soto, being a surprising man, managed to rush out of their field of fire and grab both Artemis and Minerva by the arms. With an ungentle determination, Soto propelled the two of them behind an alcove in the connecting corridor, while he himself took up a position behind a large sculpture. As he drew his sidearm, he looked frantically towards Artemis.

"Minerva, is she alright!?" he yelled, his eyes filled with the fear of failing her too.

Artemis had already checked her pulse, and now she had regained consciousness. She answered his question with a fearful voice.

"Oui, I am fine."

Soto let out a sigh of relief, but was interrupted by a flurry of gunfire from the intruders, who had taken up positions in the anteroom and connecting areas. Bullets cut apart sections of the statue, blasting sharp pieces of marble all over the place. Soto growled angrily, and fired back with his handgun, though it was useless trying to combat the overpowering enemy.

"Miss Paradizo! Fowl!" Soto yelled, "You have to get out of here! I will cover your escape through the back exit!"

Artemis nodded, but Minerva was incredibly conflicted. Soto had become a friend of hers over the years, and she did not like to idea of leaving him behind. She had already lost her father and brother—she did not want to lose anyone else.

"Go!" Soto yelled, firing several shots down the corridor.

Artemis grabbed Minerva by the shoulders. "We have to go. We have to go now!"

She was on the verge of tears. "No, no I can't! Not again!"

Artemis looked into her eyes with sympathy, but he was forced to let her go when a loud explosion echoed from farther down the hallway, followed by gunfire. Smoke clogged the corridor near its end, and after a moment a group of masked gunmen materialized out of the gloom, their weapons aimed at the three of them. Artemis looked to Soto, who had noticed this as well. They were trapped. With the enemy coming from both sides, and with absolutely no way of defeating them, Artemis felt fear grip him, but it was diluted by the fact that he knew the intentions of the enemy—that they were there to capture them, not kill them. His hypothesis was confirmed when the shooting suddenly stopped, though it did little to ease his worries.

"Drop your weapon Soto, you incompetent fool!" a voice called from the smoke-clogged foyer.

With at least fifteen firearms aimed at him, Soto had no other choice. With a disgusted look on his face, the man cast his pistol aside, and dropped the spare magazine he had been loading. As he did this the gunmen closed in, every movement perfectly coordinated, and every trigger on the verge of being pulled.

"What are we to do?" Minerva asked Artemis, her voice now filled with fear.

_I don't know._ Artemis thought, though he said something a little more positive. "We will get through this, I promise."

With the gunmen surrounding them, the three of them were forced into the middle of the corridor, where no cover existed. In such a state, there was nothing they could do but hope for mercy, something that these men clearly didn't show. Artemis glanced about, always thinking, always calculating. But when he heard a familiar voice call out from the burning entrance, he felt his efforts shatter like glass.

"Sorry for making a mess of the place, but I don't screw around, especially when it comes to ruining your lives."

Artemis looked in the direction of the voice, his memory serving him correctly. Through the black smoke and burning debris, walking so casually that he appeared to be a devil traversing his fiery abode, appeared someone that Artemis had thought himself rid of for years—an old enemy that had been defeated once before, and left in the past as a terrible memory. Now, like a demon from hell, that frightful memory materialized through the fiery destruction of Minerva's home. At that moment Artemis remembered all of the times he had faced this man—a veritable madman—and all of the peril he had caused. It was his opponent from the days of the Hybras Incident, a brutal and psychotic man, Billy Kong.

"Hello you annoying, overly intelligent brats," he said heartlessly, brushing some soot from his spiked hair with one hand while holding a MAC-11 machine pistol with the other. He stomped on the communicator that Artemis had dropped, breaking it into useless little pieces. "And then there's Juan Soto, the worst private security one can ask for."

Soto was smoldering, and as he beheld the man that had betrayed and endangered the Paradizo family in the past, he became furious.

"Billy Kong you bastard!" he yelled, stepping away from Artemis and Minerva and reaching into his suit jacket, procuring his backup pistol. He brought it up and aimed directly at Kong's head, his eyes filled with spite. "You had something to do with all of this, didn't you!? You work for those who killed Gaspard and Beau!"

Billy smiled lopsidedly, not even raising his own weapon. "Technically no, but inadvertently yes. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to avenge them!" Juan yelled, his face contorted with hatred. He pulled the trigger of his pistol, but all that resulted was an anticlimactic click. His anger turned to shock and fear, followed by shame.

"Forgot to chamber a round, how sad is that," Kong said coldly, bringing up his firearm. The gunmen behind Soto stepped aside, and while Kong aimed down his sights, the poor man paled, frozen with fear. Billy shook his head at the man, his face without a shred of sympathy. "That was the only chance I was willing to give you. Farewell, Soto."

Billy's machine pistol erupted with fire and smoke as he pulled the trigger, emptying its thirty round magazine in less than two seconds, and raining hot shell casings all over the hardwood floor, their sharp pings drowned out by the ear-piercing staccato of gunshots. Minerva screamed as Soto was struck dozens of times, his body convulsing as bullets ripped through it. The shooting only lasted two seconds, but it was two seconds that would forever be burned into her mind. When it was over, Soto collapsed to the floor, falling flat on his back with a sickening splat.

"Juan!" Minerva screamed, at his side the moment he fell.

Artemis just watched, feeling absolutely horrible. There was nothing he could do for the poor man.

"Juan!" the girl cried again, holding his hands. "S'il vous plait, ne pas mourir! Juan!" The desperate girl shook him, tears streaming down her face. She stopped when she saw that Juan was looking right at her, his dying eyes filled with sorrow and regret.

"I'm sorry, Minerva," he said softly, a rattle in his throat. "I'm sorry that I…failed…you…"

Juan Soto went limp, his final words followed by a rasping exhalation as the life faded from his eyes. He was dead, and so terrible was that truth that it took Minerva a moment to realize it. When she did it seemed as though her world fell apart. Shaking with grief, she knelt over him and cried, hopelessly broken.

Kong tossed his gun aside, eying her intently. "Hurts doesn't it?" he said coldly as he stepped towards her, completely unsympathetic. "But even I wasn't such a whiny bitch when those demons killed my brother. Soto is dead, he was a waste of human organs, get over it. Life is harsh, and it's about time you got introduced to that reality; that the pampered life you have lived is a lie. Welcome to the real world, Paradizo."

Minerva looked up at him, her grief-stricken face filled with sudden hatred. She didn't speak—she screamed with unrelenting rage, and threw herself at the man in an attempt to hit him.

"Fool," Billy Kong said, catching her arm and holding her back. "Don't think that I won't kill you, Paradizo. I have not forgotten the arrogant behavior I had to put up with while working for you. So how about you—"

"Ta gueule connard!" Minerva shrieked, hitting him in the chest with her other hand.

"You…!" Kong growled, his face suddenly filled with an animalistic fury. He struck the girl across the face with the back of his hand, sending her crashing to the floor next to Soto's body. She didn't move where she fell—she just laid there and wept. But Kong didn't stop there. Balling his fists, he stormed towards her, his eyes glinting with a madness that was truly unparalleled.

Artemis would not stand by any longer, nor could he put up with Kong's spiteful language. Glaring defiantly, the young man put himself in between Minerva and Billy, his arms outstretched and his eyes harsh with admonishment.

"Don't you dare touch her again!"

Kong's furious eyes locked with his, and with a flash of movement the man grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall, simultaneously pulling out a handgun and pressing its chrome barrel into his forehead.

"I have not forgotten about you, Artemis Fowl, nor have I forgotten about your little friends! You ruined my efforts to avenge Eric, and landed me in prison for years! I cannot, will not, ever forget that!" He shoved the boy to the ground, aiming his gun right at his head. "Don't get any illusions. I would love to kill you right now. But that's unfortunately not going to happen due to my employer's wishes, so how about I put it another way." He pointed his gun at Minerva, who was still traumatized and unresponsive. "I am a reasonable man, Artemis, but if you go any further in your blatant efforts to annoy me I will not hesitate to paint the wall with this girl's overly privileged brain!"

Artemis was breathing hard, and he felt volumes of anger and distress for what was happening, but he could not do anything from his position. He knew Kong, and he knew that his words were not used lightly. That man would kill Minerva without a second thought, not even a first thought. He was insane, and it was a very fine line that Artemis walked at the moment—a line that would dictate Minerva's fate. Resigning himself to this, Artemis sighed and looked as pathetic as he could manage.

"I understand. You have prevailed over me, indisputably, and I accept that. I will do nothing to further aggravate you."

Billy tilted his head to the side, his weapon still held menacingly. "You better hope so, because otherwise Miss Paradizo's blood will be on your hands." He held Artemis' gaze until the young man—unsettled by what he saw—blinked, after which he holstered his pistol and nodded to the gunmen around him.

"Tie these smart kids up, and make ready to depart. Make sure that the surveillance footage is wiped, and kill any of the servants you may have missed. There can be no witnesses."

The gunmen silently went about their work, branching off into the numerous rooms and clearing the building of any more survivors. As Artemis was being restrained, he heard a few muffled screams from down the hall, followed by gunshots. More lives snuffed out, just like that. How terrible it all was, and how terribly useless he was to stop any of it. Looking to Minerva, who was being dragged to her feet and tied, Artemis knew that he had to, at the very least, be there for her.

"Minerva…Minerva!"

The girl snapped out of her grief-stricken daze, and looked into his eyes with her sorrowful ones.

"I am sorry Artemis, I had no idea—"

"Do not criticize yourself, even I failed to anticipate this!" he whispered, clenching his fists as he watched Kong adjust his spiked hair while standing amidst the bodies of Minerva's bodyguards.

Minerva seemed devastated, but she nodded, albeit hesitantly. She was about to say something more, but was cut short by an uncaring tug from one of the gunmen. She tried to resist, but was quickly subdued and forced away from Artemis, out the front door and into whatever terrible reality they had to now face. Artemis didn't put up any resistance when he too was directed at his captors' whim—there was no point. Instead he focused on what he could do. Despite all that had happened he still had options, and though they were not the best they still served as material he could work with. Letting the gunmen drag him from the Paradizo Chateau, down its steps, and past numerous dead security guards, Artemis kept his mind on the almost unnoticeable sensation in suit's internal pocket. It was his only shot, but it was better than nothing. Glancing at Billy Kong as he walked beside him—a very cold expression on his face—Artemis knew that he had been lucky. In the heat of the moment, when the explosions had first torn through the chateau, Artemis had carried out a desperate contingency. Little did Kong know that the communicator he had crushed was only a decoy. The real one was in Artemis' hidden pocket, swapped with the other in the heat of the moment. It was his last lifeline, possibly his only hope of making contact with his allies, and as such he concentrated on thinking about it, even as his hands were tied behind his back. He still had a plan, and it was of the riskiest kind.

* * *

Hours passed as Artemis and Minerva were taken to wherever their captors wished; a certainly dangerous place that was left to their imaginations. They had been loaded into a black SUV, their heads covered by sacks and hands still bound, leaving them with no means of seeing their passage, or to make any attempts at an escape. For Artemis it meant that he could not use the communicator hidden on his person, but he had anticipated this, and he knew that there would be other opportunities. Patience was key.

The two of them were seated right next to one another, and though they were tied and blind they had each other nonetheless. For the duration of the sightless drive they were each other's consolation and light—their only pillar of hope when surrounded by hopelessness. Together they sat, speaking words of encouragement from time to time, and always staying close when they did not, their silent proximity a source of courage and comfort in that moment of dreadful uncertainty. It made a world of difference, even for the broken Minerva, who had lost almost everything. Artemis was immensely relieved that they had put him in the same vehicle with her, for there was nothing worse than to be alone in this moment—to be isolated and afraid when sorrow was already an overwhelming trial. He was afraid for her, and he felt partially responsible for what she was going through. As a result he was determined to protect her in whatever way he could, even if it was just through the simple consolation he could give her at the moment. He wished he could do more—he wished that he could have prevented this.

Time passed, and Artemis could tell by the change in the near imperceptible light that penetrated his hood that it was nearing sunset. They had been traveling for the entire day, and he had no idea where they were going. Did he even want to know? He knew that he would have his answer soon enough, because he could feel the deceleration of the vehicle, and hear the muffled chatter of the men in the front compartment. They had reached their destination. Minerva seemed to notice this too, as she nudged him gently with her shoulder.

"Artemis, whatever happens…" she said, an implicit message that only the two of them knew.

Artemis nodded. "I know."

The doors on both sides opened, and with the rush of cool, refreshing air came the not-so-refreshing presence of their assailants. Rough hands grabbed onto them, and without removing their hoods or restraints the two of them were hauled out into the open. Artemis put up no resistance, and instead concerned himself with where they were. He could feel a hard surface—likely asphalt—beneath his feet, and there was an increasing scent of combusted fuel. Clearly the fresh breeze had only been a fluke. Now all he could smell was gas and other unappealing substances.

The men around him said nothing as they hauled him somewhere, though he could head chatter on their radios. It was too garbled to make out, and Artemis quickly found it impossible to hear, as a loud noise slowly built up ahead of him, culminating in a deafening howl. It was unmistakably the sound of a jet's turbine engines powering up. That meant that they were only a part of the way through their journey, if not only a small one. The drive had taken them to a transport jet, and that could take them to any corner of the world. Truly there was a long way to go, and now there was no telling where it would end up.

"Mind your footing," one of the gunmen said to him, his utterance devoid of emotion.

He felt himself being taken up a narrow staircase, and he did his best to ensure that his own feet didn't miss a step. He did at one point, but his captors simply dragged him the rest of the way, as if they didn't care how he got up the steps. When he reached the top his knees hurt from scuffing each successive step, and it was apparent that his dress pants had been ripped, but the fact that he felt a guns being pressed into his back made him forget such indignities.

"Sit," a voice said.

It was odd, because he was seated against his will anyway. What was the point in telling him to do that which they would inevitably force him to do? Such illogical buffoons, though for his own sake he refrained from saying this.

His captors cuffed him to the seat, and then left him alone. The aircraft began to move almost immediately thereafter, and sound of its engines opening up muffled but still very obvious. Artemis waited in silence as the sensation of takeoff washed through him, and after ten minutes the turbulence stopped, signaling that they were leveling out. It was at this moment that he heard someone take a seat in front of him.

"Well, now that we're here…"

Artemis' hood was pulled off, revealing the compartment of a private Learjet, excessively expensive and illuminated by the sunlight pouring through its small windows. Artemis blinked rapidly as his eyes adjusted, but he soon made out those around him. Minerva was seated to his left, and in front of him sat Billy Kong, his face cast in its usual look of subtle instability. The intimidating man had switched his combat attire for an impeccable white suit, and as always his hair was meticulously ordered.

"Such lavish accommodations," Artemis noted wryly. "And here I assumed that we were just prisoners, not distinguished guests to an exorbitant aerial soiree."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Kong replied coldly. "This is for me, and as you know I have my tastes. You're just lucky the bathroom isn't big enough to fit you two." He paused, sitting back in the leather seat while eying Artemis with acute disgust. "Honestly, what's with you smart kids, always getting into things that are way bigger than you? You could be running banks and bleeding the middle class dry, but instead you try to save the world. That's not very smart at all."

"Depends who you ask," Artemis replied smoothly.

Minerva was silent the whole time, glaring endlessly at Kong as if her looks could kill. She was not in the mood for talking.

"Jeez, no respect these days," Kong said smoothly, procuring a wicked looking switchblade and twirling it between his fingers, not once having to look at it.

Artemis eyed the knife coolly. A part of him wished that a sudden increase in turbulence would cause for the knife to embed itself in the man's throat, but he knew that Kong was too skilled to ever allow for such a foolish mistake. Despite his obvious psychopathic tendencies, he was a professional.

"Anyway," Kong said, his eyes switching from Artemis to Minerva and back, "I bet you two are _dying _for answers."

Artemis spoke immediately, using a placid tone. "If that's where you wish to steer this conversation, allow me to pose the obligatory question as to why you are out of the penitentiary, running around playing henchman."

Billy smiled slightly. "That's easy. Someone came along and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. Getting out of prison is as easy as buying a pack of gum when you have the backing of such…persuasive characters."

"And I assume that the purpose of this flight is to take us to meet such characters?"

"Why else would we be here?" Kong replied, twirling the knife. "If it wasn't for my employer's wish to meet you I would have killed you already, and Minerva too." He looked at the girl, taunting her with a wicked grin.

"Don't look at me!" Minerva growled, glaring daggers at him.

"Man, what a tough crowd," Kong said flatly. "And here I thought I would get to have some quality conversation with you two. Verbally tormenting you is the next best thing to beating the life out of you, which is really hard for me to keep from doing right now." He paused, ceasing the movement of his knife and evidently deciding on something.

Artemis noticed his sudden change in demeanor, and immediately worried that he would do something terrible. But his worries were needless, as without another word Billy got out of the seat and walked off to the cockpit, leaving the two of them alone.

"Where are they taking us?" Minerva asked, greatly concerned.

"I do not know for certain," Artemis replied. "But I will find out, and we will get out of this."

"No you won't," Kong called out.

They both turned to see Billy Kong reenter the room, a very cold expression on his face. He sat opposite to them again, and after a few seconds of staring them down he went on.

"No, you're not going anywhere, not even if you two figure out a way to escape."

He paused, taking out two small objects from his pocket. He held them in his open palm for Artemis to see, and the instant the boy set eyes on them he felt a wall of terror slam into him. They were his parent's wedding rings, exactly as he remembered them; there was no way they could be fakes. Kong watched with evident satisfaction as Artemis lost all of his composure.

"Yes, that's right, genius. I have your parents, and that's not all." He grinned wickedly. "Those two brothers of yours, Myles and Beckett, are quite a loud bunch. Smart, but hopelessly emotional when they see their mother and father beaten like stray dogs. Honestly, I have never heard so much crying."

"What have you done to them!?" Artemis growled, so furious that his restrained hands tore holes in the leather seat.

"Nothing permanent I assure you," Kong replied, horribly unsympathetic. "And they will stay that way as long as you are compliant. You see, I know that you are capable of pulling off a brilliant escape. I know that you can outwit me. Everyone in my little group does. So in order to prevent you from simply walking out of our custody, I acquired some living insurance." He paused, leaning in closer to look deep into Artemis' eyes. "You may be a genius, but you're love for your family makes you so pathetically malleable. Even if you can use that brain of yours to free yourself, you would not even think of doing so if such an action would guarantee the swift execution of one of your brothers or one of your parents. And don't think for a second that we would hesitate to kill your little brothers. We're the kind of people who kill the innocent all the time, so long as the pay is good."

"You monster!" Minerva yelled, unable to contain her revulsion.

"Guilty as charged," Kong said immediately, raising his hands in a mocking gesture. His face then took on another look entirely, one of an insane obsession. "But if what it takes is for me to become a monster, then so be it. I will do anything if it brings me closer to avenging my brother."

Artemis was almost shaking his fury—something he rarely did—and despite his usual self-control he couldn't bring himself under control now. It was impossible to be calm, not when his family was being used as collateral. Nevertheless, he thought of the man before him, and the motivations for his actions.

"What would your brother think of what you have become? How would it make him feel, knowing that you forfeited your humanity in order to avenge his death? That you would even kill children to further that cause?" Artemis leaned forward, his eyes filled with admonishment. "What would he feel?"

That question seemed to affect Kong more than anything Artemis had ever said to him. There was a glimmer of sadness in the man's eyes, followed by a rush of anger and remorse. It was so powerful that he sagged back into his seat, for once appearing like a man who had nothing left to live for—a man who had lost his only purpose in life. He looked off into space for a few moments, his eyes betraying a warring of emotions, but he was back in no time, even more hateful than before.

"My brother is dead. He can't feel anything."

Billy Kong then stood up, his movement sudden and frightening. "I grow tired of this. Perhaps now would be a good time to fulfill my mission." He reached into his suit and pulled out a handgun, and to Artemis' dismay aimed it right at Minerva. "I should have just shut you two up the moment I captured you, it would have saved me from you incessant talking. But this way just feels so right." He pulled the trigger, but instead of a bullet there was a tranquilizer dart, which embedded itself in Minerva's shoulder. She yelped with pain and surprise, and after a moment of struggling she went limp.

With Minerva unconscious, Kong pointed his weapon at his other prisoner, a lopsided smile on his face.

"This marks the final transition in your disgustingly posh life, Fowl. When you wake up, you will be in your own special little hell."

He pulled the trigger, and Artemis felt the sharp impact of the dart strike his chest. Its concoction spread through his bloodstream like fire during a drought, numbing everything almost immediately. He tried to say something witty—one last remark to tread on Kong's victory—but his mouth wouldn't move. He went limp, and the last thing he saw was the look of satisfaction on Billy Kong's face, and his words as he mouthed them to him.

"_For my brother."_


	14. A New Era

**Unknown Location**

The suffocating darkness was palpable, and the deafening silence was just as formidable, making the gloomy expanse a truly unsettling place to be—a place where nothing seemed to exist but the appalling lack of substance and clarity. This powerful obscurity was broken by the sudden glow of red warning lights, which lined the metallic walls in numerous places. As they flashed a vermillion glare over the expanse of the one-ship hangar bay, a series of soft alarms beeped overhead, their audible warning coinciding with the sudden shudder of the heavy metal door that guarded the exit. The hangar's blast door slowly opened, ushering in a blast of warm air and the roar of engines, and as the sound of an aircraft closed in the overhead lighting in the small bay flashed to life, illuminating the rest of the expanse.

With a gust of hot wind came the intimidating form of a Section 0 shuttle, its black hull seemingly consuming the light around it, and its engines flaring like the eyes of a mythical beast. With its landing gear deployed the craft came to a halt within the hangar, resting upon the metal surface and powering down its engines almost immediately. The blast door slowly closed behind it, and once it was finished the red lights ceased flashing along with the alarms.

The shuttle's exit ramp extended quickly, touching down on the hangar floor with a metallic ping, and its doors opened with but a slight sound. Commander Torin Carnunnos stepped out of the ship with an air of haste, though his visage was calm and devoid of doubt. Walking down the ramp, followed by his operatives, he spoke smoothly into his earpiece.

"Sir, I've just arrived from Haven. There were no issues in reaching the facility. No one was able to trail us, not even Foaly's stealth drones."

_"Excellent,"_ the voice of his commanding officer replied. _"Report to the command center immediately. A lot has happened since we last spoke."_

"I assume it's from our colleague's side of the operation?"

"Yes, they're really making waves," the voice replied, sounding content. "But more than anything, there's one accomplishment I really commend them for."

Torin said nothing as he walked to the end of the hangar, his silence as good an utterance as any.

_"They've captured Artemis Fowl."_

That made Torin stop where he was, and as he repeated it to himself he couldn't help but smile. Truly it was a beneficial development. The capture of Fowl was a significant milestone in the campaign, because that mud boy was a dangerous enemy, and as such had to be dealt with as quickly as possible. He was a little annoyed that the others had beat him to it, but such paled in comparison to the disastrous consequences had Artemis been left to do as he pleased.

_"We're clear to move on to the next phase. Let's discuss the rest in private,"_ his superior said confidently.

"Yes sir," Torin replied, his face set in stone. He passed through the small door at the end of the hangar, entering an immaculate hallway that stretched so far that it seemed endless. He turned on his heels, and started down one direction. Inwardly he thought of the matter at hand; a matter that would make all of the previous occurrences look obsolete. It was so huge that it made him feel just a little uneasy, but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the plan, and though he was technically the Commander in Chief of Section 0, he was actually just another piece to a larger game of brutal chess.

Indeed, he wasn't the real leader of Section 0, far from it. He was the face of the organization, meant to fool those who trusted it. In the end his role in all of this was coordinated by the meticulous pulling of strings, the work of a mastermind, but that was alright with him. Everyone who had joined this venture knew that they were pawns; everyone knew that they were expendable tools. What really mattered was not their control over the outcome, but rather the horrid acts they could revel in during its progression; how much they could dance with their dreadful desires before they died. To many it would seem illogical, for who would carry out such acts just for their sake? Such a lack of comprehension was just the result of morals and narrow ideals; the shallow thinking of those who thought themselves as just and sane. They knew not the greater picture—the ultimate endgame.

_We all have our own goals, and we see them fulfilled in the pursuit of one larger one. It is quite logical._

Torn Carnunnos thought about it with a ghost of a smile on his face. Truly the rest of the People would consider them mad for what they were doing, but they were fools.

_Fools. All fools._

Progressing down the hallway with an air of certainty, Torin mused a little more, content to occupy his mind with the satisfying thoughts. It was a curious thing, how it had come to this, but in the end it could be summed up with a single phrase.

_"Some people just want to watch the world burn."_

**Lower Elements Police Headquarters, Haven**

A wide assortment of holographic targets was spread throughout the large room, their appearance so convincing that they seemed real. Such realness was maintained even as they were shot multiple times, and as some were obliterated others took aim at the shooter. In a feat that was truly mesmerizing the remaining targets were shot to pieces, all within a span of time that didn't allow them to return fire. As the last of the targets fizzled out, a beep came from overhead, and the lighting in the room increased, signifying the end of the simulation.

Major Holly Short stood at the far end of the room, her hazel eye still looking down the sight of her steaming Neutrino. There was a petrifying glare on her face, and it was evident that, in her mind, she was not just shooting targets. No, she was envisioning the face of that blasted Section 0 commander, Torin Carnunnos, on every one of the generic holograms.

"That bastard will pay!" she growled to herself, her blood boiling at the thought of him. It made her even angrier that no one, not even Foaly, had found any trace of him.

They had made their terrible discovery a day ago, and immediately thereafter they had made an effort to track down and detain Torin and any of his operatives. But none of them were to be found, not even at Haven's Section 0 facility. It would seem to all that they had disappeared completely, left without a trace. Even the knowledge that Torin had left Haven was useless, as not a single piece of evidence could be found to link him to any external location, and no subsequent efforts had gleaned anything more.

Such was why Holly was here. Shooting targets was cathartic, and it did a lot of help her cool down, but that was secondary to her main reason. The truth was that shooting things was a really good method of brainstorming. Taking down the targets with perfect efficiency was second nature for her, and as she did so she thought about how to hunt her hated foe down. Her thoughts flowed freely, enhanced by the stimulating sensation of decimating holographic targets.

_Where are you hiding, you coward?_

Holly knew the magma chutes like the back of her hand, even the places where she was not supposed to go. In truth the LEP used only a fraction of the total tunnel network, leaving the rest seldom frequented. It was not a question, but a matter of fact, that Section 0 had another facility, and it was certainly connected to a magma tunnel. Foaly had been scouring the tunnels with his drones, using every piece of technology at his disposal to reveal Section 0's location, but even that had resulted in absolutely nothing. It would seem that there was no hidden presence within any of the magma chutes, and that was an estimation that was verified to be ninety-nine percent certain. That made it likely that Section 0 had no facility in the magma chutes.

_At least not in the hospitable ones…_

Holly had been turning over a few ideas for the last few hours, and the shooting had helped her flush them out a little more. There were places in the chute networks that were truly hellish; places that could kill even the most skilled pilot with ease. These locations were limited to the deeper areas, where seismic activity and frequent flares abounded. They even had a name, and though it was unimaginative it was very suitable—redzones. In such areas there was no safety, no respite from perils, and absolutely no means of calling for help. The overwhelming amount of chaos in the redzones generated more than enough electromagnetic interference to render communications useless, and so potent was that negating effect that even Foaly's drones could not operate under them. That was why no one ever went there, or at least no one they knew of.

Shooting a fresh set of targets, Holly thought about the possibility of Section 0 inhabiting one of these areas. She knew of all of them, and had even tried to outwit the danger within them. Such valiant attempts had almost killed her, but they had also given her a good understanding of the area. If there was a place that would mask your presence, it would certainly be one of these. That led her to wonder how they could pull that off, but she pushed that aside almost immediately. It didn't matter how they did what they did, all that mattered was if they were there, and if they could be defeated. Holly glared as she decimated another set of targets, setting a new high score without even trying.

"And they will be defeated, no matter how much power they have. I will destroy them…"

She spent another few minutes scorching the target range with her Neutrino, and then opted to sate her desire to bring up her hypothesis with Trouble. Even if he found it ridiculous, she would go against his orders and try to find Section 0. She was determined to find a way to bring them down, and nothing, not even Trouble or the hellish fires of the red zones, would stop her.

* * *

There was silence in the ops booth as Holly waited for Trouble and Foaly to say something. She had just told them her idea, and it had given them pause. It was her hope that they would agree with her.

"This is insane," Trouble said, breaking the silence with hesitant words.

"Yes, it is," Holly replied, her tone firm and unscathed by his doubt. "But desperate times like this call for such measures. We cannot leave any stone unturned, no matter how dangerous it is to do so."

"I know," the Commander said softly, shaking his head afterwards. "It's just that there are so many risks in doing so. You could die."

"A risk I'm willing to take."

"And one that I can't allow in good conscience," Trouble stated firmly, worry evident in his eyes. "I can't just let you go on a suicide mission!"

Holly was about to object when Foaly interjected.

"She's right, Trouble," the centaur said, his voice filled with resignation. "What other choice do we have? Every other course of action has so far failed us, and time is not exactly on our side. The longer we take to bring Section 0 to justice, the more time the humans will have to find a way to attack the People at their core. We have to bring an end to this madness, and this may be the only way." He paused, sighing. "I don't like it either, but we can't afford to be picky. I just wish Artemis was here. I would like to know that he would think about this mess."

"I know…you're right…" Trouble said, evidently coming to terms with Holly's wishes.

Holly was relieved to see this, but Foaly's mention of Artemis had given her another thing to obsess about. They had had no word from him for over a week now, and with each passing day their fear that he had been captured grew. She knew more than anyone that Artemis would have made contact with them by now, or at least done something to inform them that he was alive. But there was nothing, not even the slightest of glimmers, to indicate that the boy was still breathing.

"Do you think they have Artemis too?" Foaly asked her, having noticed the look on her face.

"I don't know," Holly said with a frown. "But I wouldn't put it past them. They know how much of a threat Artemis is. I don't think that they would just let him roam free."

"Then that makes this matter even more important," Trouble said, furrowing his brows. "We need Artemis, and if Section 0 has him there is a great cause for concern. Knowing how brutal they are, I can't help but doubt that they would let him live for very long."

"Then let me try!" Holly said firmly, unable to wait any longer. She was itching to get going—every fiber of her being was burning with the desire to find Section 0 and possibly save Artemis.

There was a long silence as Trouble thought about it, his face showing a great deal of conflicting emotions. After what felt like an eternity he nodded, his eyes showing the fear of regretting his decision. It made Holly feel bad for putting him in such a position, but given the circumstances it was unavoidable.

"Thank you, Commander," she said, smiling at him.

"I'm not done, Major," Trouble said immediately, giving her an iron look. "I will allow for you to go, but I can't let you go alone, not when so much danger surrounds your plan. We both know that they want you dead, their assassination attempt made that quite obvious."

"I work better on my own," Holly replied, crossing her arms.

"I know, but you must allow it," Trouble said firmly, after which his expression softened. "Please, think of how hard this is for me. I can't afford to lose you to those monsters."

It went against Holly's ideals, having others brought into harm's way just to protect her, but even still she could not argue with her friend. He was sincere in his intentions, and it would be a disservice to refuse. There was also the fact that he was her commanding officer, and even though he was lenient with her out of kindness, he showed no remote sign of budging with this matter.

"Alright," she said, nodding to punctuate her agreement. "But I want volunteers. No one should be forced to do what I'm about to do."

"I've already sent out the word," Foaly said from his chair, typing away. "In the meantime you should get familiar with your ride."

"I'm already quite familiar with our ships."

The centaur grinned despite himself. "Not this one." When Holly gave him a quizzical look, he smiled even more. "Let's just say that I prepared a little present for you. It's waiting in the hangar bay, and it's quite expensive."

That made Holly grin. "Oh, that kind of present." She turned to Trouble, a knowing look on her face. "How much did Foaly bill you guys for the R&D that went into this thing?"

Commander Kelp shook his head, a sour look on his face.

"You have no idea."

**Three Hours Later, Haven Terminal**

The heavy wind from the looming magma chute tossed Holly's auburn hair about as she approached the LEP sector, flanked by Trouble and Foaly. It had been three hours since she had told Trouble about her plans, and in that time they had arranged everything. Now she was on her way out, fully geared up and recklessly determined.

Her ship came into view as they entered a smaller hangar, and she grinned despite herself. Truly Foaly had outdone himself this time. Completely unlike anything in the LEP's fleet, the experimental shuttle was so state-of-the-art that the technology it employed hadn't even been patented yet. It was a beauty, and after testing it out for twenty minutes Holly knew that it was the best ship she had ever flown. Balancing speed with maneuverability and firepower, it was a perfect cross between an LEP interceptor and stealth shuttle, bringing the best of each and packing them together in a sleek, deadly frame. Now almost upon it, Holly felt much of her unease for the mission dissipate. Knowing that she was going to be flying this work of art was a potent dose of reassurance. It made the danger of what she was about to do a little less irritating.

"Am I not brilliant?" Foaly said as they reached the ship, putting his hand on its hull with a supremely proud grin.

Holly nodded in agreement, regarding the ship with a aviator's eye. Her mind quickly switched to the other matter at hand, even as she did some quick visual checks.

"Who volunteered to go?"

Trouble was behind her, his hands clasped behind his back. "Retrieval team four has agreed to accompany you. They are on their way now."

That made Holly frown slightly. RET4 had already been exposed to far too much danger when they were assigned to guard the People's delegation to Geneva, and yet here they were volunteering for a disproportionally dangerous mission. She appreciated their strength and courage, but she didn't like having them put in harm's way again. Nevertheless, she had no choice in the matter. She knew those officers, and as a result she knew that they could not be dissuaded. Nodding silently, she accepted the risk they were taking, and silently pledged to keep them alive no matter what.

"I assume that RET4 are the only ones who volunteered? I hardly need any more officers with them onboard."

Trouble shook his head. "No, there's one more. With RET4 you have armed backup, but should you be incapacitated you will need a backup pilot. We put the word out amongst our top fliers."

"And who responded?" Holly replied, cocking a brow.

Trouble was about to answer when the side door of the shuttle opened, making everyone look to the craft. Holly glanced up to see who it was, and immediately grimaced. _Oh gods not again. _A familiar sprite stood in the frame of the doorway, looking down on her with an overconfident grin.

"Hey Major, you look glad to see me. I can't blame you."

"Indeed…" Holly muttered, doing her best to not roll her eyes. Out of all of pilots in the LEP, all of the skilled and slightly crazy flyboys who could have signed on for the mission, she got the one she least expected, and incidentally least desired.

"Corporal Chix Verbil at your service!" the sprite said eloquently, the stupid grin still on his face.

Holly looked at the sprite for a few more seconds, and then glanced at Trouble with a flat expression. Commander Kelp simply shrugged, and beside him Foaly seemed a little amused. Holly wasn't the least bit amused, but she knew that there was no changing the matter now. Maybe, just maybe, Chix would turn out to be a valuable compatriot. She thought about it for a few seconds, and then sighed. Yeah, not likely, but it didn't hurt to think positively.

"Alright, let's get ready to leave," she said firmly, giving Trouble another irritated look before climbing up into the shuttle. Truly another level of peril had just been added to her mission, but she simply shelved it along with all of the others. She was determined to succeed, so much so that the momentary vexation she had felt was now gone. Consumed by the fire of her convictions, not even an annoying sprite like Chix could slow her down.

**One Hour Later, Chute L39**

Fire. It was the single most prevalent entity in this place, ubiquitous and dreadfully bright, casting a hellish glow over everything and creating a suffocating air of gaseous fumes and unbearable heat. Endless streams of roiling magma ran throughout the chaotic rock formations, forming simmering pools at its heights and plateaus, and in other places crashing down in enormous falls of lava. Acrid smoke gushed from countless vents, forming ethereal clouds amidst the glowing landscape, rising into the shimmering air until they disappeared into the forest of ancient stalactites and columns that loomed above the magma pools. Heat and pressure shifts resulted in colossal gusts of wind, so powerful that they blew molten rock into the air like droplets of water. Overall the winding passageways and gigantic caverns were the epitome of danger, and the closest thing one could get to hellfire itself.

Despite this, Holly felt little unease as she brought the shuttle to a halt just outside the beginning of the redzone. Eying the glowing madness before her, and the downright ridiculous sensor readings on the ship's console, she couldn't suppress a slight grin. _This might be more fun than it is terrifying. _The plan was simple: get into the redzone's epicenter and scan for anomalies. Foaly had outfitted the shuttle with the most advanced scanning technology in the world, and as a result it could easily sift through the misleading interference of the redzone and find actual oddities. The centaur seemed absolutely certain that it would work, and Holly had no reason to doubt him.

Behind her sat the ever stoic operatives of RET4, though it was clear that they were keeping themselves from looking out the viewports so that they didn't realize the extent of the insanity they were getting into. They seemed content to trust Holly to deal with the looming chaos. Beside the elf sat her copilot, Chix Verbil, who was staring at the hellfire ahead. It surprised her how few cheesy remarks he had made thus far; perhaps he had become a little less delusional over the last few years.

"So we're going in there?" Chix asked, pointing forward with one hand while the other nervously scratched his neck.

"Affirmative," Holly replied, giving him a look. "You aren't scared are you?"

Such a question, coming from a female, made the sprite throw on an aura of indomitability, and banish his fearful expression.

"Me? Afraid of that?" He crossed his arms, shaking his head with a confident grin. "Major, I thought you knew. I'm one of the best pilots in the LEP! The Chix man is not afraid of any trial!"

Holly ignored his obvious lies, and instead nodded firmly. "Good, because we're going in right now."

"Now?" Chix said nervously, before correcting himself. "Of course, go ahead! I'm getting bored."

Discretely rolling her eyes, Holly turned her attention back to the task at hand. Keeping the ship in idle, she activated her comm link with Foaly.

"Foaly, we're heading in. Any last words of encouragement?"

"_Yeah, don't get atomized,"_ Foaly said nervously. _"Given the electromagnetic interference generated by the redzone there won't be any communications once you're in. You'll be on your own. Remember that you are only doing recon. If you find anything indicative of Section 0, you will return to Haven immediately."_

"Duly noted, I'm going in," Holly stated.

"_Good luck."_

"Thanks, I might need it," Holly said, switching off the comm link and bringing the stealth craft out of idle, eliciting a loud thrum from its powerful engines. She paused before throttling the engine, looking back to her passengers. "Brace yourselves. This is going to be rough."

With that little piece of warning, Holly dropped the experimental shuttle right into the roiling madness below, a mix of excitement and determination on her face. As she did so she could hear a terrified curse from Chix, who was clutching onto the sides of his seat with apparent desperation. He seemed to be regretting his decision to accompany her, but it was far too late.

The turbulence hit the shuttle with a sudden ferocity that startled even Holly. It hammered against the hull, and almost threw them off course. But Holly braved the powerful winds, correcting the flight path and accounting for the gusts in her calculations. Even still, it was like riding an avalanche as they plummeted into the fields of magma and smoke, and when they were fully into it such chaos multiplied by a factor of ten. Glaring at the hellfire ahead, but also grinning dangerously, Holly kept control of the ship, using its advanced avionics to compensate for the danger all around her. After bursting through a cloud of smoke, and narrowly avoiding a glowing waterfall of magma, she brought the ship into a relatively stable flight path.

"See, that wasn't so bad," she said, glancing at Chix. The sprite looked sick to his stomach, but to his credit he hadn't screamed like a child.

"Yeah…no problem…" he rasped.

A massive gust of wind slammed into them, throwing them about like a kite. As Chix groaned, Holly gripped the controls and did her best to keep the craft stable. She quickly had to abandon that effort, as with the wind came chunks of molten rock, which burned brightly as they rocketed towards them.

"Hold on!"

The shuttle lurched as she brought it into desperate maneuvers, evading the hot projectiles while battling against the turbulence. Small pieces of molten rock bounced off the ship's hull in rapid succession, the resulting cacophony much like hail except a lot louder. Impenetrable smoke clogged the space ahead, but Holly had no choice but to go through it, and as she did so she yelled enthusiastically, having fun despite the tremendous danger.

Everything went black as the ship was engulfed by smoke, but such was quickly replaced by the bright shine of fire. It would appear as though the smoke led right into a literal wall of flames, which rose off of the surface of a magma pool. Holly had no time to evade, and so she ramped up the shuttle's speed and rammed right through the searing wall of hellfire. Chix finally screamed like a little girl as fire licked at the window, and Holly couldn't help but laugh. They were through the fire almost immediately, and there was no damage whatsoever. After all, it was Foaly's latest model, made to withstand a lot more than just fire.

"How can you be enjoying this?!" Chix yelled above the chaos, completely forgetting his usual bravado.

Holly gave him a simple look, one that was both terrifying and informative. "Did you expect anything else?"

"Well no…"

"Then stop whining."

"Fine…"

With that settled Holly glanced at the console, and right then it beeped indicatively. The pre-programmed application Foaly had installed was telling her to activate the ship's high-powered scanning equipment now that they were far enough into the redzone. Without any pause Holly flipped the switch, bringing it online and, as a consequence, flooding the readout screen with lines of data.

"Let's hope that those Section 0 bastards are down here with us," she growled, steering the shuttle through more of the deadly expanse. The scanners went to work as she flew, their processes completely automated so as to avoid distracting her. For several minutes she kept the craft moving, waiting for any meaningful data to come up on the screen. It took a while longer, and such time contained many stressful maneuvers, but eventually the console flashed red. Glancing down at it, Holly whistled, but quickly returned her attention to her flying.

"What do we have? Chix, tell me the gist of it, I'm a little busy."

The nervous sprite eyed the readouts, and then looked up. "There's an anomaly in the tunnel network, ten o'clock, three hundred meters. It's small, but it's also the only geological irregularity the sensors could find."

"Worth a shot," Holly agreed, steering the ship in the direction of the anomaly.

The sensory information led them to a solid wall of bedrock, beneath which a small plateau had formed and incidentally created a relatively calm area. Bringing the shuttle to a standstill, Holly eyed the bedrock and then the sensor output. Supposedly this was it, but it looked absolutely normal.

"I don't see anything…" Chix said flatly. "Perhaps the sensors are messed up."

"Don't jump to conclusions, it may be well concealed, but it's there," Holly said gruffly, glaring at the wall. She shifted her hand over to the fire control terminal, flicking several red switches and activating her flight helmet's targeting reticles. "Don't worry, Corporal, I have a foolproof test for this sort of situation."

Chix glanced at her, and then made a surprised expression. "Don't tell me you're going to—"

"Damn right!" Holly pressed the fire control, eliciting a massive burst of smoke and flame from the ship's enclosed missile batteries. Armed twice as well as any ship in the LEP's fleet, the stealth shuttle unleashed a torrent of heavy missiles, filling the air with them in only a second. The powerful weapons blasted into the stone wall, hammering it with an excessive series of enormous explosions that literally tore the ancient bedrock apart like a log in a wood chipper. Holly watched intently as stone flew through the smoke-filled air, showering around them but not once hitting them. After thirty seconds the smoke cleared, and as the results of the barrage became evident, Holly whistled.

"Well, that was easy."

Before her loomed a gaping hole in the deceptively natural stone wall, within which some very unnatural foundations were built. Refractive metal plating was torn inward by the explosions, revealing the remains of a massive blast door. Electrical circuits flashed chaotically amidst the burning gateway, and debris fell away from it as sections lost their integrity. Beyond, disappearing into the distance, was a perfectly circular tunnel, lined with soft lighting and surrounded by sensor-dampening plating. Holly felt her pulse ramp up, and her eyes narrowed with directed anger.

"Found you."

She felt a sudden urge to pursue them, to rush down the tunnel with all weapons blazing. But she quickly got a hold of herself, knowing that she had to keep her emotions in check. Blasting their hidden entrance apart would definitely alert them of her presence, so it would be wise to retreat before they showed up. She knew their capabilities, and that meant that she was outmatched, even in the advanced strike craft she was in at the moment.

"We should get out of here," Chix said nervously. "Warning the others is our main concern."

Holly nodded. "You're right, let's go."

She gave the tunnel one last glance before bringing the ship around, but at that precise moment the sensor terminal beeped madly, flashing an alarming red.

"Enemy craft inbound!" Chix exclaimed. "They're coming from the tunnel. I'm counting at least ten ships!"

"D'Arvit!" Holly growled. Of course Section 0 would be on them the moment they blew up their front door. In fact, the only reason they hadn't engaged them already was likely because they thought they could lay low. But now they were exposed, and as a result they were determined to strike down the ones who knew of their location before they had the chance to relay it to the rest of the LEP. Seeing the enemy ships on the radar, Holly veered the shuttle away from the tunnel. However, she didn't rush away either.

"Time to put Foaly's work to the test. We're going dark," she said, activating the ship's stealth features.

The shuttle would not only be invisible to the eye and conventional sensory devices, but also to the tricks that were popularly used to find hidden craft. Artemis' genius idea to use the concentration of gas molecules in the air to find Opal's ship during the Opal Deception Incident had been used many times since then, and as a result Foaly put in counteractive systems to mask the signature that would otherwise be there. Holly knew that she could depend on the ship. It was not a matter of outrunning them, but rather one of lying low and sneaking away. She knew what the enemy was capable of, and taking ten of their ships on while trying to evade the natural dangers of the redzone was suicide, even for her.

"Sit tight everyone, we're going to wait these guys out," the elf said firmly. "Once they're gone we can leave at our leisure. Our stealth will make it easy to avoid their scanners."

Everyone simply nodded. Chix was starting to look brave again, but such was, as always, a poorly worn disguise.

Holly backed the shuttle into a small depression in the cavern wall, just as the Section 0 ships emerged from the tunnel. Moving slowly and purposefully, the strike craft spread out and began to search the area, their weapons ready to fire at a moment's notice. One of such craft flew right past the hidden LEP ship, and as Holly watched it slowly drift by them she couldn't help but hold her breath. They were so close that she could see the enemy pilot in detail, and had he not been wearing a helmet it would have been possible to read his expressions. That intense moment lasted for a few short seconds, and when it was over everyone sighed with relief. So far they were completely undiscovered by their enemy, thanks to Foaly's technology.

"Whew, that was close," Chix said, a nervous grin on his face. "Not that I was scared or anything."

"Don't get cocky just yet," Holly growled, eying the fiery expanse before her. "We're not out of this, not by a long shot."

She waited in silence for a few minutes. The numerous Section 0 strike craft were combing the area, and judging by how easily they navigated the deadly environment it was clear that they were very much used to it. By now they had spread out even more, opting to search areas further away. Several sped off into the caverns, though where they were heading was unknown.

After about twenty minutes of rigid silence, Holly put her hands on the controls and furrowed her brow. They had waited long enough. Now the enemy was spread out and incapable of screening the entire cavern, leaving Holly with a good number of options. She just had to sneak out without bumping into them, which was the only real way the enemy could find her.

"Alright," she said firmly, her visage set in a determined look, "Let's go."

The LEP ship slowly removed itself from its hiding place, setting a course for the chaotic mess of the redzone. Holly brought their speed up to about half of what she would usually do, knowing that haste would only result in erroneous actions. She had to be careful, more than anything else. Failure meant death, and perhaps the total ruin of the LEP itself. She wouldn't let that happen, not in a trillion years.

Fire and molten rock roiled beneath the ship as Holly veered around the larger obstacles, again braving the heavy winds and dreadful hazards. Enemy ships came and went, always searching but not once seeing the LEP shuttle passing through their midst. Holly smiled dangerously as she flew right past one of the hovering ships, narrowly missing it. They were so oblivious it hurt.

It was starting to look as if their escape would be an easy one, but that was when the chaos really hit. An appalling gust of wind slammed into the ship, throwing it around and sending it plummeting towards the flowing lava below. Holly quickly regained control, but it wasn't over by a long shot. Now closer to the ground, they were exposed to the worst of it. A number of gas vents spat out compressed air beneath the magma pools directly ahead of them, spraying the deadly matter upwards in massive, fiery geysers. With the wall of molten rock rising in their path, Holly gripped the controls and spun out of the way, narrowly avoiding the hazard. She subsequently increased their elevation, but not before a sudden burst of gas sent another shower of magma into the air behind them. The glowing magma slammed into the ship, covering its wings and rear hull within seconds. It shook them craft like a ragdoll, and it took Holly every ounce of her skill to keep them from falling. Even though the ship had effective protection from the magma, the added weight threw off its balance. However, there was an even greater issue, one that became apparent when Holly glanced at her sensors.

"Oh D'Arvit…"

For the squadron of Section 0 ships patrolling not too far away, it would appear as though a shuttle-shaped blob of magma was flying on its own accord, defying the laws of physics. It was easy to put two and two together. Just a glance at the sensors confirmed that the enemy ships were turning on her, and that was terrible news.

"They see us. We're going to have to go a lot faster!"

Chix looked at her, his face blanched. "What?!"

Holly threw all caution aside and punched the engines to full. "Shut up and hold on!"

The LEP ship blasted forward, the speed of its acceleration tearing off the molten rock and sending it flying all over the place. With the magma gone they were invisible again, but that brief moment of being exposed gave the enemy enough time to train their reticles on their general direction. Seeing the LEP ship blast off and lose its molten coating, the Section 0 ships opened fire with everything they had, spraying countless laser blasts in its direction. As the blue bolts of deadly energy flew all around them, Holly did her best to get out of their line of fire. However, before she could accomplish such a thing there came a loud bang, followed by an alert from the console. A laser bolt had struck the hull of the ship, tearing a shallow hole all along its length. Such did nothing to slow it down, but Holly knew that that large gash in the ship's refractive plating would leave them exposed just enough for their pursuers to track them. Such became evident as a fresh bombardment of weapons fire flash near them.

"They see us!" Chix yelled, eying the readouts nervously.

"That's pretty obvious!" Holly yelled, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of another blast striking the hull.

She pushed the ship even faster, hoping to evade the enemy via the complex series of fissures and crosswinds, but they kept on her tail without any apparent difficulty. It was after a few more moments of this that Holly finally opted to change plans—she didn't like being a sitting duck.

"That's it!" she growled, spinning the ship around on a dime while flying through a cloud of smoke. The enemy ships burst through the cloud right as she trained her weapons on them, and with a glare she opened fire. The shuttle's forward cannons—all ten of them—tore apart the three enemy ships as if they were made of tissue paper. They exploded as the laser blasts ripped into their reactors, and they subsequently plummeted into the magma below. Satisfied that they were finished, Holly brought the ship around.

"Now that we're done with that, let's get out of here…"

Holly throttled the engines, setting a course for chute L39. However, before she could get very far another squadron of Section 0 fighters burst into view directly ahead. There were four of them, and they all have locks on her. Good thing she had some tricks up her sleeve, courtesy of Foaly. Heading straight at the enemy, Holly activated the ship's ECM and timed it perfectly to when they opened up with the missiles. The missiles' tracking was thrown off completely, sending them veering to the left and right, where they slammed into the sides of several looming pillars. As the rock formations blew to pieces, Holly flew right past the flabbergasted enemy ships, riddling two of them with laser blasts while leaving the rest to be obliterated by falling stone. She grinned despite herself as explosions flashed behind them.

"Scratch four. They're really not on their A game today."

Chix, sitting silently to her right, took that moment to say something manly about himself.

"The Chix man is always on his A game!"

"Then perhaps you'd like to fly this thing?"

The sprite shut up immediately, looking quite dismayed. Returning her attention to the chaos ahead of her, Holly noticed several more hostile ships coming up on either side. She hit the afterburner, speeding past before they could catch her in the pincer maneuver, narrowly avoiding being torn apart by interlocking streams of cannon fire. The enemy ships, infuriated by her evasion, gave chase, firing missiles by the dozen. Every one of the missiles was thrown off by the ship's countermeasures, and as a result the enemy switched to their cannons. Feeling several of their shots strike the hull, Holly narrowed her eyes. They were almost through. They had to make it, there was no other acceptable option!

Ahead was the welcome sight of L39, its lack of fire and magma a clear indication that it was the chute she was looking for. Pressing the ship even harder, Holly doubled her speed, outrunning the Section 0 interceptors without difficulty. Leaving them behind, the LEP shuttle blasted towards the chute entrance, breaking away from the fiery madness of the redzone and reaching the relative calm of the large tunnel. Holly kept glancing at the terminal, waiting for the electromagnetic interference to clear enough for a stable signal to be made, but it didn't come, not yet. _Come on!_

An alert beeped, and she looked up to see the rest of the Section 0 ships barring her escape. There were only three of them, but they had her in a tight spot.

"Uh, Holly?" Chix said anxiously, pointing ahead.

"I know!" she growled, eying the enemy before her.

With the enemy locking onto her, Holly glanced at a particular button on the console—it was one of Foaly's _special_ additives to the ship. She'd forgotten to ask him about it, but it looked to be very important. Locking onto the enemy ships, which were opening fire, Holly slammed her fist down on the button. It elicited a slight noise from the ship, but not a lot else. However, it was very evident that it had done something. The Section 0 ships literally lost all power and control, as did their missiles, and without any warning they dropped like rocks, plummeting into the bedrock below. Clearly Holly had just used a directed EMP against them, which made her wonder why she hadn't punched the button earlier. Oh well, it didn't matter. They were clear now, which meant that they could warn the others about Section 0's facility, and, if her suspicion was accurate, the place where Artemis was being held captive.

Invigorated by the thought of helping Artemis, Holly ramped up the ship's speed and sought to close the distance between them and the chute. In that brief moment of carelessness the elf failed to see that which her sensors did not—the glint of something metallic far in the distance, upon a ledge in the bedrock. She caught it at the last second, realizing that it was a group of Section 0 operatives with shoulder-mounted plasma cannons. There was no time to react. The portable artillery lit up the air between them, filling it with several super-condensed beams of glowing plasma. Unlike with missiles, there was no way to throw off this sort of weapon. Given that they were shooting at what they could see—a small tear in the ship's invisibility—most of the shots only clipped it. But one struck the side of the LEP ship dead on, melting through its reactive plating and slicing off one of its wings.

"Everyone hold on!" Holly yelled, absolutely furious. The ship was out of control, spinning endlessly as it lost altitude. She did her best to pull it out of the dive, but it was useless; they were speeding towards the stone floor of the cavern without any means of stopping. With only seconds until impact, Holly gave up her efforts, and instead braced for the inevitable impact. It came with such appalling ferocity that it seemed unreal.

A horrendous noise blasted through the compartment as the ship slammed into the dense stone, skidding off of its surface several times before striking a small forest of stalagmites. The ship rammed through the rock formations with a series of devastating collisions, shattering stone and sending the looming formations crumbling down around it. Holly held on for dear life as the ship was torn apart all around her, entire sections of it falling off with each successive impact. She felt terror wash through her as the ship caught fire, but she pushed it aside—she had to focus on surviving, or else she would only die a coward.

The frightening crash lasted a full thirty seconds, taking the ship across several kilometers of the cave floor. After bursting out of the stalagmites, the burning wreck scraped along a barren escarpment, flipping over several dozen times, before coming to a stop on the edge of a cliff. A sea of molten rock yawned beneath them like the maw of a hellish beast.

_Am I still alive, or is this just a sick joke? _Holly thought numbly as she sat in the wreckage, still strapped to the pilot's seat. The nanofibers in the safety gear she was wearing had absorbed much of the impact, and her helmet was covered with brutal scars. She was alive, but she had never felt so dead. Surviving such a crash was a miracle.

Regaining her senses, she noticed the fires burning around her, and quickly unstrapped herself. Then she noticed the others within the wreck, and to her surprise they weren't dead either—at least not all of them. Several of RET4's operatives were deceased, thrown from the ship during the crash, but most of them had made it. Even Chix, though unconscious and looking like a total disaster, was alive.

"Major, are you alright?" RET4's leader called out.

Holly grunted her response while she dragged Chix from the wreckage, being careful not to jerk him around too much. Setting him down a safe distance from the burning ship, she then turned her attention to the other survivors.

"There were several pairs of wings in the cargo. We must salvage what we can and get someone back to Haven!"

They were interrupted by the loud scream of engines overhead, and they all looked up to see a Section 0 strike craft barreling down upon them.

"Get down!" Holly screamed.

The ship unleashed its payload into the crash site, firing dozens of rockets and then strafing the area with its cannons. Holly threw herself to the ground as several of her colleagues were torn to pieces by the attack, and all she could do was cover her head and hope to not meet the same fate. Fire and debris showered around her, and a few cannon blasts struck the ground just ahead of her, sending a rush of heat into her body. The sound of the explosions, even though reduced by her helmet, was appalling, and the shockwaves that resulted hammered against her like the fists of a giant. Holly waited through all of this, pressed against the stone with iron determination, refusing to let the chaos break her. She waited, even as death surrounded her, for it to end. Such didn't take long, and as the explosions ceased and the sound of the Section 0 ship faded into the distance, Holly jumped to her feet to assess the bleak situation. Only a few of her colleagues had survived, and what had been left of their ship was now reduced to tiny little fragments. Holly swore under her breath, deeply hurt by the loss of her friends, but she had no time to fret—the enemy was already upon them.

Roughly fifty Section 0 soldiers, all suited up in advanced battle armor, unshielded around them without a sound. Their helmets' reticles gleamed a deadly crimson as they set their sights on the haphazard group of LEP officers, but none of them fired. Instead they surrounded them completely, weapons aimed in professional silence.

Holly and the few remaining officers were in a tight circle, their weapons aimed at their numerically superior enemy. There was no conceivable way out, but they couldn't just give up. Her mind was racing, and her eyes were darting about from one foe to the next. Truly this was a terrible mess, and as usual she found reason to blame herself for it. Thankfully she had little time to dwell on that.

"Major Short, you are completely surrounded," a familiar voice called out. "Now would be a noble time to surrender, there is no shame in it."

Commander Torin Carnunnos stepped through the throng of soldiers, not even wearing a helmet. As he eyed her coolly, Holly couldn't suppress her anger.

"You bastard!" she screamed, aiming right at his head and firing. The elf sidestepped her shot—a feat of extraordinary agility—and subsequently drew his blaster. He fired without hesitation, striking her Neutrino from her hand, and at the same time the rest of the LEP officers opened fire, knowing that there was no other option. The ensuing gunfight lasted only a second, leaving all of Holly's comrades dead without having even hit a single enemy. Seeing the corpses littering the stone around her, she felt an immeasurable wave of anger and regret flow through her. She reached for one of the fallen pulse rifles, but she was struck in the head by the butt of a pistol. She landed in a heap, though her helmet had absorbed the impact. Torin loomed over her, his expression completely apathetic.

"You fought well, Major," he said smoothly. "You took out ten of my ships. That's no easy feat. However…" He stomped down on her right hand, the one that currently reaching for a weapon. "You don't seem to give up, not even when you're clearly defeated. Foolish, but also admirable."

Holly glared up at him, hating everything about him. "If you're going to kill me, make it quick. I'm getting tired of hearing your voice."

Torin pressed his boot even harder on her hand, fracturing several fingers. "Mind your words, Major. I do outrank you."

"Go to hell!" she spat.

A slight glimmer of anger flashed across Torin's face, but it was gone almost immediately. Nevertheless, he still kicked her in the head, knocking off her helmet and exposing her to the elements. He was about to follow up with another strike when a neutrino blast shot at him, though he dodged it effortlessly.

"That's no way to treat a lady!" a voice said.

Holly felt a rush of realization. Chix was still alive.

The sprite was on the ground behind her, just barely conscious. He had a Neutrino in his hands, and in his eyes was a surprising amount of courage and fury. He was staring into Torin's eyes with a dangerous expression. "If you touch her again, I'll kill you."

_Chix. _Holly thought, worried for the sprite, but also surprised by his courage. Torin, on the other hand, was far from impressed.

"Will you now?" he said calmly, smiling a little.

Chix tried to pull the trigger, but his weapon was kicked from his hands by one of Torin's operatives. The poor sprite was then struck over the head by the butt of a rifle, knocking him out for a second him.

"Now where were we?" Torin said to Holly, who was surrounded and without any means of retaliation.

Holly glared daggers at him. "Go ahead, finish it you coward!"

Commander Carnunnos shook his head, stepping a little closer. "As much as I'd like to, I can't kill you. There are those who wish to see you alive, at least for the time being. So take it as a temporary pardon. Your death is certain, but it is not yet."

Holly was skeptical. "Who on your side could possibly want me alive? I thought you were the slime ball in charge!"

"Whatever made you think I was the one behind all of this?" Torin said smoothly, crouching down to look her in the eye. There was the faintest of smiles on his face. "You will find that there is a lot you don't know."

Holly glared into his cold eyes, finding nothing but frigid indifference. Truly this elf didn't care about anything he was doing; a true psychopath. And yet he wasn't the one in charge, at least so he said. That made her wonder, and it was a terrifying to consider that Torin was just another pawn in a larger game. If the commander of Section 0 was but a single piece on the chessboard, who was the player behind it? Who was the mastermind? Holly wondered this, even as she stared her hated foe in the eye.

"You are wondering who is pulling the strings, aren't you." Torin stated as a matter of fact. That same faint smile tugged at the edges of his mouth, this time a little more pronounced. "Don't worry about it. You will know soon enough." He aimed his blaster at her. "After all, he is the one who wants to meet you."

Holly felt a jolt of energy as Torin shot her in the chest. It rushed through her, numbing everything in an instant. As everything went dark, she saw Torin looming over her, his cold eyes betraying just a hint of madness. Then, like a candle snuffed out in a dark room, everything went black.

* * *

Shadows danced around Holly's vision as she awoke from unconsciousness, their elusive forms taunting her with their phantasmagoric nature. Her head throbbed with a dull pain, and her entire body was tired and sore. She was being dragged like a corpse by several powerful hands, with heavy footfalls all around her. The sound of her own labored breathing drowned out the otherwise distinct cacophony of charged pulse rifles, but it didn't drown out the voice that spoke in front of her.

"So you're awake. Just in time too," Torin Carnunnos said, his tone cold and devoid of concern.

Holly would have spoken, but her mouth was gagged. Instead she remained silent, saving what little energy she had left in preparation for the inevitable. She had her eyes closed even now, her eyelids so heavy from the unconsciousness that they were almost sealed. It took her a moment to pry them open, and when she did she only saw a featureless metal floor passing beneath her, and the combat boots of her captors as they walked on either side. She thought of struggling to break free, but her arms were firmly grasped by Torin's guards. Her legs were free, dragging along the floor behind her, but they felt like lead.

"Don't even think of struggling, Major," Torin said, perceptive of her thoughts. "It will only weaken you, and I must say you will need all the strength you can get. Not that you have a chance, but it would be nice if you put up a little resistance when we kill you."

_D'Arvit! How did it come to this? _Holly thought angrily. She quickly became bitter, realizing that much of the responsibility fell to her. Truly, even after pledging not to, she had failed her team and her people. Chix and RET4 were all dead, once again leaving her the only survivor. It felt terrible, living while so many died as a result of her actions. It tore her apart inside, just as it had several times before. She felt hollow and useless.

_Don't think like that! _Her iron core chided, never broken regardless of the situation. Once again that iron determination buried deep within her saved her from falling into despair, replacing her feelings of failure with a fiery desire to live. Even as she was dragged through the dreary corridor, surrounded by malevolent individuals, she vowed to survive, no matter what.

No one spoke as she was dragged further down the corridor, its dim lighting and the echoing of footsteps creating an unsettling environment. They eventually reached a metal door, which opened silently upon their arrival. Torin led the group in, still saying nothing.

As she was dragged into the room, Holly had regained enough energy to raise her head. She saw a relatively small room, perhaps an office, in which a large desk resided. Around the desk, on the walls, were numerous monitors, and behind it was a transparent wall allowing for a view of a large expanse beyond. There was someone sitting at the desk, but she couldn't quite make him out. Her vision was still a little fuzzy from being stunned.

"Sir, we've brought Major Short, as you requested," Torin Carnunnos said stoically.

The figure in the chair got up, but Torin was in the way so Holly couldn't see his face.

"Excellent work Torin," the figure said smoothly. "You did well catching her. She is a veritable wildcard for the LEP, one that we'll soon be rid of." There was anticipation in his voice, and it was shadowed by a creeping, dangerous tone.

Upon hearing the figure speak Holly felt a wave of realization wash through her. She knew that voice—she had heard it many times, but it had been a long time since the person it belonged was around. As the figure walked out from behind his desk, and went right up to her, Holly still couldn't believe what she had heard. It was impossible! It was only when she saw his face, looking down on her with pure malice, did she realize the undeniable truth.

"Hello Major Holly Short, it's been a long time. Too long," the elf said, looking into her shocked eyes without any good intent. "You look surprised. Surely you couldn't have forgotten one of your prior compatriots? Especially one such as I, the one who betrayed you, Julius, and the rest of the LEP."

"Impossible! I saw you die!" Holly rasped, utterly taken aback.

"And you saw Opal die as well, but she came back as well," the elf said pointedly. "Surely you know by now that death is just an obstacle. Just like everything in life, it too can be conquered."

Holly had no more words within her. How could she even think straight, seeing this elf before her now? An old enemy, deceased many years ago during the Goblin Uprising, was very much alive. He stood before her as living proof that nightmares came true; that evil was inescapable.

"Welcome to a new era," Briar Cudgeon said devilishly. "_My_ era."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Believe it or not things are just getting started. A little feedback perhaps?  
**


	15. Ad Idem

**Section 0 Headquarters**

"Briar Cudgeon…" Holly growled hatefully, glaring up at the elf with a look of total outrage. Being forced to remain on her knees before him filled her with indignation, but the pulse rifles pressed into her back left little room for movement. How she wished she could grab one of the weapons and let out her fury upon the one who had been lurking in the shadows all this time. Briar Cudgeon, an ex-LEP officer and a blatant psychopath, was the mastermind behind Section 0, perhaps the mind behind the entire war. It sickened her, for not only were his actions the epitome of evil, but he was also the elf who betrayed Commander Root and the LEP in order to elevate himself to a level of power that he would not attain through his measly rank.

Back then he was always jealous of Root's position, having known him for hundreds of years. As retrieval One's leader, then acting Commander, he exploited the system to seize power. But his plan was thwarted, and due to the reaction between his experimental mind-accelerating drugs and the tranquilizer Root used to incapacitate him, he was horribly disfigured. With his face ruined, his career in shambles, and his name sullied, he became bent on revenge. Joining forces with Koboi during the Arctic Incident, Briar orchestrated the goblin uprising, and nearly destroyed fairy society, all the while putting up a façade of being loyal to the LEP. They trusted him, and he stabbed them in the back for it. Now this power-hungry psychopath was back from the dead just like Opal, pulling the strings in conflicts that ended the lives of so many, again just like that insane pixie. Holly felt her hatred burn within her, but all she could do was wish death upon the elf before her, who was eying her with slight amusement.

"So you haven't forgotten me, not my name at least," Briar said smoothly.

"It is not something I want to remember. It makes be absolutely sick!" Holly said furiously, staring into the other elf's eyes with her hate-filled, unblinking gaze.

Cudgeon cocked his head, enjoying himself immensely. "Whatever makes you sick of me, Major?"

"You're a monster!" she yelled, rivers of anger channeling into her voice.

Briar said nothing for a few seconds, actually pausing to think. Turning around, he walked a few steps towards his desk. "A monster?" he said softly, contemplatively. "Is that what you see me as?"

"After all that you've done, it's the only word that can be used to describe the likes of you. I don't know how you're alive, but I know for certain that there's a special place for you in hell!"

Briar reeled on her in a sudden fit of rage, grabbing her by the throat and squeezing with a strength that was almost inhuman. "You think I haven't been to such a place already? You think that I don't know what it's like to rot in hell!? I spent what felt like ten lifetimes in that dreary perdition, wasting away without any respite or semblance of control! Hell? You have no idea what that word means, but I'll make sure you do before I let you die."

His eyes smoldered with a fiery hatred that made fear prickle of Holly's spine, even though she was too busy suffocating to notice. Cudgeon didn't seem to care as she gagged, as her eyes rolled back. He only stopped when she was about to pass out. Letting her fall to the floor, he brushed off his hands and eyed her with a hateful expression that was just barely controlled. "Years I spent in that place. It felt like an eternity. I will never forget the agony I felt on a perpetual basis, and thus it serves as motivation to not fail again." He paused, grabbing the still coughing elf and pulling her up to her knees again. "There, now we can continue."

Holly's throat burned as she coughed a few more times, but she didn't show the pain. Instead she glared at the elf before her, hating everything about him.

"How the hell are you alive Briar? If you don't tell me I'll be sure to beat it out of you later!"

The elf smirked, visibly calm again. "Isn't that the pertinent question. How did I cheat death itself? That's easy, I didn't."

"What?"

Cudgeon ignored her, and instead looked to Torin and his guards.

"Leave us."

Torin nodded silently, and with his guards he left without a word. Holly didn't take her eyes off of Cudgeon as the others left—she didn't dare trust him enough to turn away. When the door closed behind her, she felt a weird sensation come over her, the sort that one would attribute to being stuck in a dark room with a terrifying creature. Truly this was the case.

"Please, have a seat," Briar said smoothly, gesturing towards a chair facing his desk.

Holly tested her limbs, finding that the sudden burst of emotion and adrenaline had banished her weariness. She was not restrained in any way, and the armed guards had left. It was just the two of them, and Holly knew that she could take on almost anyone in single combat. Even if it was just to kill him before his security arrived, it would be enough. However, as she got to her feet, Briar seemed to notice the look in her eyes. He smiled coldly.

"There's no need for that. Should you try anything you'll be dead before you realize how stupid you are." He patted the holster on his hip, which contained a heavily customized blaster, similar to the one Briar had favored before his death. "I may have been dead for over five years, but I'm still a good shot. And trust me, shooting you is something I wouldn't regret in the slightest. A part of me wants to do so right now, but I am much more controlled than I was before, so you need not worry, _yet_ at least."

Holly knew that he wasn't lying, and so she decided against doing anything for the moment. Reluctantly, the elf sat down opposite to Cudgeon, who sat silently for a moment before speaking. After a few seconds of staring into her soul, he spoke with a chilling tone.

"Hades is a terrible place, Holly. When I died, my plans completely ruined and all hopes gone due to you and your human friend, I was completely broken. I lost my mind in the perdition that followed, for only madness can survive in such a place. And so I became a total lunatic, haunted by my demons and tortured by my fears. Truly I was a useless nutjob, and as such it is entirely illogical to assume that I could get out of there on my own. No, I did nothing to accomplish that, but someone you know and hate more than anyone did."

A name immediately popped into Holly's mind, and it made her shiver. She knew then and there that it was no coincidence. "Opal Koboi!" she rasped venomously.

Cudgeon nodded. "But of course. That Opal, however much I disliked her, always had a plan." He paused, evidently remembering his past. "The one who I sought to betray during the Goblin Uprising, and incidentally the one who hated me for trying to do so, for some reason saw it fit to save me from the worst punishment I could ever receive. There I was, babbling nonsense in the rivers of blood that flowed there, and all of the sudden she comes along, completely sane amidst all the insanity. I knew her, even in that state of madness, but I only cowered before her, because she radiated with unimaginable power. I thought she was there to torment me even more than I already had been, but instead she gave me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"A deal with the devil more like it," Holly growled. She was ten times as furious now than before thanks to the knowledge that Opal was ultimately responsible yet again. Sure, others were carrying out the dirty work, but Opal had made it all possible. That pixie had enabled world war three.

"Nothing so elaborate, just a simple deal," Briar replied. "She promised to get me out of Hades, and reinstate me to my physical body, one not plagued by the deformity I had suffered before. She promised me power, control, and, more than anything else, the chance to take revenge upon those who wronged me. Upon you, for example. All of this was given to me so long as I did one thing."

"And what was that?"

"Survive," Cudgeon said simply. "Opal did not save me out of any good will. Rather, she did so because I could be used to further her plans, or more accurately, ensure their continuation. Despite the power she had thanks to the dark magic she controlled, Opal knew that she could still be defeated, and no matter how confident she appears she always makes a contingency in the case that she fails completely. And fail she did, right when she was about to succeed as well." He smiled slightly. "And that was why she offered me that deal, because if she died again, she would need someone on the outside to finish what she started. I was ecstatic to accept her offer."

"You sick bastard, you think of nothing but revenge! Haven't you realized that such a path only ends in destruction!?" Holly growled.

"But it turned out so good, didn't it?" Briar retorted. "I was given a new body, one that Opal cloned using some of my old DNA and then, with her magic, tore my soul out of Hades and planted it back within the physical realm. She made me whole again. I respect her for that, even though I still detest her vexing predispositions."

Holly frowned. Briar Cudgeon had been revived using a similar method to the one used to save Artemis. The parallels between them unsettled her.

Cudgeon continued after gauging her reaction. "Once I was revived, Opal gave me all of the assets and funding I needed in order to begin my work. I laid low for most of the war itself, busy working out the details, but by the time Opal was defeated I had everything I needed. Thanks to that war there was a foolish desire within the People to have more security, more peace of mind. So I exploited that and created a military entity that they believed would protect them from such threats as Opal or the humans. But I couldn't just walk into LEP HQ and ask for funding. No, I used my contacts within the forces, ones who had always shared my way of thinking. There are those in your ranks who are entirely loyal to the People, those who desire power just as I do. Some of your most influential colleagues have always hated you and that mud boy, and a lot of them are not completely sane either. Such is useful to me, because I can exploit their darkest desires, and use them to further my goals. That applies to many of my operatives. Ex-military, mercenaries, murderers, escaped convicts, and so many other fringe groups flocked to my cause. But some are not so malleable, because I needed those who could uphold an image of legitimacy for Section 0."

Holly narrowed her eyes, knowing exactly who he was referring to. "Torin..."

Briar smiled slightly, glad that she was being consumed by her anger. "Torin Carnunnos was a prominent figure in the upper echelons of the People's security forces, but before that he was one of my closest confidants. We grew up together, shared our early lives and later became colleagues within the LEP. I could always depend upon him to do what was needed, because we share the exact same ambitions, and understand each other. As such I let him in on my operation. He was the one who proposed the formation of Section 0 before the council, and once they mandated its creation, he acted as its legitimate commander in chief. No one suspected that he was just a figurehead, that I was the one in charge, and so I could carry out my operations covertly while he funneled resources and technology through his legitimate procurement channels."

Cudgeon gestured over his shoulder, where the view of a massive subterranean compound spanned out for miles.

"Like the view? I hope so, because you paid for it. That's the beauty of operating under the guise of a legitimate entity. We were given a veritable blank cheque by the government due to how desperate they were for protection, so much money that even Foaly would be amazed. Even Section 8 had only a fraction of the monetary affluence we possess. All of this, everything that I have under my command, is at the expense of the tax payer. It's something that the humans do all the time, and now I know why." He grinned. "It feels so damn good."

Briar ignored Holly's dreadfully terrifying expression, and instead pressed even deeper into the despicable picture he was painting. "So that's the real clincher isn't it? You, the LEP, the People, gave your worst enemy everything they needed to cast the whole world into chaos. You gave it all to me. How else would I have been able avoid detection as long as I have? How else would I have been able to hire my own private army? How else would I have been able to leak the People's existence to humanity so flawlessly?" A crooked smile worked its way across his face. "How else would I have gained access to bio bombs?"

That struck a tender chord within Holly, and so powerful was the anger that blasted through her that she momentarily lost control. Trying to throw herself over the desk onto Briar, she screamed for him to shut up, her words spoken with oceans of spite. But despite her intimidating fury, Briar was completely calm, because he had his blaster pressed right against her forehead before she could even realize it was there.

"You'll only get yourself killed, Major. This blaster has no stun setting. It's old school, just the way I like it." Pushing her back with the hot barrel of his gun, Cudgeon forced her to take a seat again. "I know that you're angry, but there's nothing to gain from expending your energy right now. Sit back and gain as much knowledge as you can, because you'll be dead before you can use it for anything useful."

Holly would have none of it. "You're a devil. Just like you did back then you betrayed us, but this time so much lower! You started a war between the People and humanity, making us look like the monsters behind your cowardly attacks! Why kill so many innocent people? Why destroy the world you seek to rule?"

"A means to an end, Major, that's all this is," he said smoothly, looking her in the eyes. "You see, I am an ambitious elf. I have great plans."

"Don't all psychopaths?" Holly spat.

"I would prefer the term _goal-oriented antagonist_," the elf replied coolly, showing no anger towards Holly's verbal attacks. "I am recklessly dedicated to the fruition of my desires, so much so that I don't care who has to die along the way. So long as I attain my ultimate fancy, nothing matters. Some may call that madness, others foolishness, and both may be true. In fact, they are." Briar Cugdeon's visage changed just a little, a glimmer of insanity creeping into it. "But I don't give a damn what you or anyone else calls it. After all that I have been through to get here, I will not even consider your impertinent opinions, because that's all they are, opinions. Full of fallacious nonsense."

Holly knew that, had Artemis been there with her, Briar's argument would have been torn apart completely. But she was in no place to argue with such an unstable fanatic, not when he held her life in his hands. Still, it was hard not to feel a fresh wave of revulsion rush through her. This elf, Cudgeon, was a complete psychopath, and yet he held power that was comparable to the LEP. He had been brought back to life by Opal Koboi, installed as a contingency, and made into the greatest threat to the present world. He had fooled them all, used them to his advantage, and had won. It made her very soul ache with shame and anger. It would have been different had she noticed it sooner, and she chided herself for being so blind. But it was pointless blaming herself now, when she was in the wolf's den. She had to survive, and she had to figure out what Briar was planning.

"So, Cudgeon," Holly said spitefully, "What is your great plan? What do you think you will accomplish through this war?"

"Don't get the wrong idea Short," Briar growled. "I'm not stupid enough to tell you everything, not the specifics at least. You think you can escape, and as such you want to gain knowledge on my endgame. Well, I accept that as a possibility, so I won't tell you anything apart from this." He paused, leaning forward. "You remember the power that Opal had when she returned. That dark magic, so potent and infinite, made her the closest thing to a god. I crave such power."

_Oh gods. _Holly thought, the realization of something terrible rushing through her. The thought of Briar gaining access to dark magic was absolutely horrendous.

"Yes," Cudgeon said softly, "I see it in your eyes. You know exactly what I mean." He got up, never taking his eyes off her. "But that's enough talk about my ambitions. You need not know any more than that, not where you're going. You see, I wasn't lying when I said that I wanted to kill you. I really do. But I won't settle for a simple shot to the head. No, after all that you did to foil my plans I want you to suffer by my hand. I want to grind you down and shatter that defiant look in your eyes. I want to make you an empty husk of what you are now, bereft of hope and resilience. I want to break you."

"You can try!" Holly rasped, unwilling to be intimidated by her foe. She didn't fear much of anything, but this elf was unsettling her. Despite her defiance there was a cold sensation deep down, an ominous feeling of dread.

"I know that you're a difficult one to crack, but everyone has their weaknesses," Briar continued, sneering at her. "I am glad that you are so tough. That mud boy, Artemis, wouldn't be nearly as fun as you are. Though brains he may have, his tolerance for pain is significantly less than yours."

The mention of Artemis made Holly's eyes go wide. With a fearful expression she slammed her fists down on the desk, standing up and glaring daggers at Cudgeon.

"What did you do to him!? If you hurt him in any way I swear you will regret it!"

Again she ended up on the business end of Briar's laser pistol, and this time it simmered with a primed shot.

"My, my, what a temper you have when I mention that mud boy. Is it because you have feelings for him? Oh what am I saying, of course you do. We all know you can't live without that human. Pathetic." He struck her across the face with the blaster, sending her sprawling onto the floor. "Given you're deteriorating mood I know that it is about time to end this conversation, but first I'd like to tell you something, something that I am craving to see your reaction to."

Holly gritted her teeth, the side of her head throbbing with pain. She tried to get up, but Cudgeon stomped his boot down on her gut, knocking her breathless.

"Unfortunately, I do not have that mud boy in my possession. However, he is not a free man either. There is one more thing that you do not know about this whole ordeal, and I must say it surprises even me." He was smiling coldly, a wicked glimmer in his eyes. "Artemis has been captured, but not by my operatives. I am not the only one behind the war, nor am I the only one who is trying to further his ambitions. It may come as a surprise to you, but I was never working alone in this. I have an ally, and though neither of us intends to remain so forever, we stand to gain from temporary cooperation."

Holly glared up at the elf, the pressure of Cudgeon's boot forcing her to take shallow breaths. She didn't move, because her foe's blaster was aimed at her face.

"It is this individual who has Artemis, and it is quite funny how it works out. After all, they are so much alike."

"What are you talking about?" Holly rasped, not liking one thing about his words.

Briar grinned, his eyes betraying the madness that Hades imparted upon him.

"Do you want to know the name of the man behind this? Very well, I will tell you."

The elf did so, and as he did Holly felt the world drop out from under her. In that moment of realization, she felt nothing but complete chaos within her mind, for so terrible was the nature of the revelation that she had no means of holding her horror back. It was beyond horrible, beyond what she perceived as possible, and it struck through her very soul like a bullet. Her thoughts were so scrambled that she could barely articulate.

"No…" she croaked, her face trembling, "That's impossible!"

"Oh, it's perfectly possible," Briar said softly, dangerously. "And now that you know, there is no way I can let you live. Welcome to hell."

Holly saw a flash of movement as Briar slammed his blaster into the side of her head, and then, after a split-second of pure agony, she fell into the dark abyss of unconsciousness.

**Unknown Location**

From the darkness came a small pinprick of light, like a single star upon an obsidian sky. It grew in intensity, and for the young man who saw it it was a curious thing. Everything was silent, trapped in the frigid grasp of unconsciousness, and his mind was numb. But after what felt like an eternity the light came, and along with it came the sound of a voice.

_Artemis._

Someone was calling to him, but it sounded so far away. He was so tired, in shambles, and it was hard to even realize that he was waking from the tranquilizer induced sleep he had been under.

_Wake up._

The voice was distorted, and its timbre was impossible to pinpoint, but it called to him all the same. It helped him come to reality, from the depths of his inner prison, and he found himself gravitating towards its source automatically.

_Fowl!_

A sharp pain erupted from the side of his face, followed by another on the other side. The pain was followed by a flash of awareness and a blast of light. Everything came crashing into his brain, all of his senses now working on overdrive, and so powerful was the explosion of sensation that he almost cried out in pain. He gritted his teeth, realizing in full that he was awake, and incidentally remembering everything that had happened prior to his unconsciousness.

"Ah, I guess slapping you across the face was more than just cathartic. It was actually useful."

Artemis realized that he was lying on a terribly uncomfortable bed, surrounded by featureless walls and illuminated by pale lighting overhead. He sat up abruptly, noticing the man standing over him. Despite the sudden rush of disorientation for the sudden movement, Artemis could easily tell who it was—the man's mocking tone was proof enough.

"Hello Fowl, sleep well?" Billy Kong sneered. He loomed over the young man, dressed in the same white suit he had worn before, though his hair was far more organized, and he appeared to be very relaxed. Behind him were several armed guards, dressed in black and concealed by tactical headgear. Everyone was looking at Artemis, and not a single one of them seemed to wish anything good upon him. They all had a certain kind of malice in their eyes.

Artemis glanced about frantically, completely unaware as to where he was. _Where am I? Where is this place!? _He could see medical equipment around him, but none of it was in use, and there were no doctors or nurses in sight. He was clearly in an infirmary of sorts, but he knew for a fact that they did not have his well-being in mind. They only wanted him alive so that they could enjoy tormenting him. Such was definitely what Billy had in mind as he looked at Artemis with a lopsided smile.

"I'm glad you're alive. I was beginning to think that I overdid it with the tranquilizer. Really, you took it like a champ, much unlike that pretentious little French girl."

_Minerva! _Artemis felt his heart rate ramp up, his fear for his friend—who was in this mess because she was helping him—becoming a powerful force in his mind. Looking right into Billy Kong's eyes, he felt anger bubble within him, though he kept it under control.

"What did you do to her?" he asked dangerously.

Kong put up his hands in mock fear. "Whoa, watch out, we have a badass over here."

"Stop being so shamelessly immature, it directly clashes with your suit!" Artemis stated coldly.

"Alright, calm down," the man said. "Miss Paradizo is alive and well. Really pissed off too, you'd be surprised how uncouth a supposedly refined lady can be."

Even coming from such a corrupt man as Kong, the words made Artemis sigh with relief. He would never forgive himself if Minerva got hurt because of him. She had done nothing to deserve anything that had happened so far. Silently promising to ensure her survival, and his family's, Artemis switched his thoughts to the next matter. Clearly he was in his enemy's compound, where their leader was intent on meeting him. That was logically what would come next, so he didn't bother avoiding the matter.

"I assume that you are going to take me to your _employer_ now?"

"Naturally," Billy replied, turning about to leave the room. He nodded to his men, who then grabbed Artemis and forcibly dragged him from his bed. With two of them holding his arms, and another four standing by with weapons aimed at his head, the gunmen took Artemis out into the hallway after Billy Kong.

It was a cold and featureless hallway, with nothing but metal doors and stoic guards at regular intervals. Passing by all of this, the group forced Artemis into an elevator, which then burst to life with a rush of motion. The ride only lasted a few seconds, but Artemis could tell that it had taken them roughly three hundred meters up. Clearly the place he had been, buried deep in the earth, was a prison of sorts.

"Come on, you don't want to keep him waiting," Kong said coldly, nudging Artemis out into the corridor beyond.

It only took a glance for Artemis to deduce that the building he was in was by no means an unimaginative underground facility. The brilliant stonework, vaulted ceilings, and artistic flourishes made it evident that it was actually an exceptionally constructed mansion. Its classical design was coupled with an appalling level of security. There were small, almost invisible cameras everywhere, and Artemis could tell that they were far more advanced than anything humanity had. Other features, such as blast doors and dormant laser sensors, were artfully hidden, thereby upholding the wondrous interior of the mansion without having to sacrifice security.

They passed a number of towering windows, which revealed a mountainous landscape, but the glimpses were not enough to determine his geographical location. The windows eventual ceased appearing, indicating that they were going deeper into the structure. Again, Artemis was amazed by the level of detail around him. Artwork and old sculptures appeared in places, and none of them were anything put priceless originals. Though this place was the den of his enemy, the young man found himself respecting his taste. Even the fine carpet beneath his feet was something he would himself use. The parallels between their decorative preferences were frighteningly alike, and it made him wonder even more about the identity of the mastermind behind Billy Kong's group.

"Right in here," the man said.

They had reached the end of a corridor, where an exceptionally crafted oak door loomed. It was carved with such attention to detail, and with so many artistic references to power, myth, and wealth that it reminded Artemis of is past self—the one who had been obsessed with such things.

Two of the gunmen opened the double door, allowing for the rest to enter. Artemis walked in without any protest, knowing that first impressions were very important. He refused to show fear or weakness.

The room before him bore a shocking resemblance to his own study. Filled with books and computer monitors, and well organized so as to appear larger than it was, it was exactly how he would have had it. Such made him uneasy, but he didn't show it, not to the man who was sitting at the mahogany-carved, heavily inlaid Edwardian desk in the center of the room. His back was to them, and the sound of turning pages made it obvious that he was engrossed by a book. However, he knew they were there, and he spoke with a very familiar tone, one that sent chills down Artemis' spine.

"Mr. Kong, welcome back from your imperative assignment. You are perfectly on time."

To Artemis' surprise, Billy actually appeared relatively tame before this man. That was odd, because he was not the sort to allow others to push him around.

"I have brought Fowl," he said smoothly, putting an uncaring hand on the boy's shoulder. "He's perfectly well, however he is not very pleasant to speak with at the moment. Do you want me to impart some physical trauma upon him to get his mouth working?"

"That will not be necessary," the man replied, sounding perfectly confident. "You may leave us. I wish to speak with this young man without interruption."

Billy Kong frowned, but didn't protest his orders. Giving Artemis a parting glare, the wiry man left with his colleagues, closing the door behind him.

"There, now we are alone," the man said smoothly, calculatingly. "I must say, I have been looking forward to meeting you. It is not very often that one gets to confer with Artemis Fowl the Second, especially me, for quite obvious reasons."

Artemis stood where he was, unmoving despite the presence of a chair before him. Its placement was evidently intended to encourage him to sit, but he refused to relax. Instead, he got straight to business.

"I refuse to entertain you with inconsequential speech. If you understand me as well as you declare you do, you know that I rather detest wasting time speaking with madmen. So, if you will, speak rationally when I ask you what I want to know. After all, I am a guest in your house, and surely a man of such fine tastes as yourself respects formality."

The man chuckled, again sending shivers up Artemis' spine. That man's voice sounded far too familiar for comfort, and yet he couldn't quite put his finger on its identity.

"Well said, Artemis Fowl, I expect nothing less from you," he said eloquently. "Indeed, I cannot have you being treated as anything but a distinguished guest. It would debase my name to be a poor host. _Mea culpa_, for the harsh treatment you have been subjected to thus far. Let us start over, a _Tabula Rasa_ so to speak." He got up from his seat, and turned to look at Artemis. His face was hidden by a lack of lighting before him, but his Armani suit was unmistakable.

"I do not mean to be blunt, but who are you?" Artemis asked, feeling a terrible suspicion growing within.

"You know who I am, Artemis," he replied. "Does my voice not sound familiar? Has the arrangement of this room not reminded you of someplace else? Truly, the signs are all around you, ubiquitous, and the only reason you have fathomed it is because you see it as statistically absurd. I agree, it is, but in time that which seems impossible may eventually transpire. You have lived through enough improbable adventures to deny it."

Artemis stared at the man, trying to make out his face. There was a nagging realization screaming in the back of his mind, but he refused to believe it yet.

"Enough of this verbose exposition," the young man said firmly. "Speak your name, so that I may know you, my enemy."

"Very well," the man said, stepping forward into the light. His face became clear as day, and though it was the face of an older man—of perhaps fifty years of age—it was remarkably familiar in its bone structure. Artemis stared into his eyes—his intelligent, blue eyes—and felt all of his fortitude crash into ruin. The middle-aged man, with his raven black hair and pale complexion, smiled vampirically, the exact same smile that Artemis was famous for.

"It appears that you now know the truth, your countenance is an apparent sign of that," he said softly.

Artemis stepped back, shaking his head. "No, I cannot accept this madness!"

"But it is a real madness," the man said immediately, holding that signature grin. "You cannot possibly deny that which your eyes see. But if your logical mind still questions the validity of this, then allow me to answer your question so that there are no further doubts. My name…" He paused, evidently for effect. "Is the one you know more than any other."

_No! This is not what I expected! This is not right! _Artemis thought, staring at the man with reserved horror.

That man, radiating with intelligence and self-mastery, crushed his denial with the smooth utterance of the name that Artemis knew to be his own.

"_Ad Idem_, Artemis. We are of the same mind," he said calmly, smiling that disconcerting smile. "I am you, Artemis. I am Artemis Fowl the Second."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Things sure are starting to heat up! Be sure to tell me what you think.**


	16. Your Own Worst Enemy

**Undisclosed Location**

There was silence within the gloomy confines of the study as Artemis Fowl stared into the eyes of the man before him—the eyes that were his own. Blue and piercing, those eyes stared back at him, filled with the stoic, ruthless professionalism that Artemis had embodied during his childhood. No words came to the young man's lips, or any meaningful thoughts. For once he was struck dumb, completely overrun by shock and disbelief, the gears of his brilliant mind halted by the power of his realization.

What was before him now was the last thing he had expected. Of course, he knew it to be possible, but the probability was so low that he had barely considered it in the past. But truly, no matter how little he anticipated it, it was a thing of nightmares, an unthinkable occurrence that embodied much of his deepest fears. Fear of what he once was. Fear of himself.

The man who stood before him now was by no means who he had been, but rather who he will be. Judging by the lines on his face Artemis estimated his age to be fifty-three, even though his stature was strong and confident. Though the shadows had not permitted it before, he could now see the striking resemblance the man had to his father, and, with a little imagination, himself. He was, without the shadow of a doubt, a Fowl.

A million questions bombarded his mind, but among all of them loomed the greatest one of all.

"How?" Artemis said softly.

The man's piercing gaze never let up, even as he answered.

"A logical question to ask _yourself_," he said smoothly. He gestured towards the chair before Artemis. "It is a long story, but it is one I am willing tell you. We are the same person, after all, and even though we differ in very significant ways, I see you as my match, my perfect equivalent. Therefore, I can hardly keep you in the dark, not when I know how you think, not when I understand how wretched it is for a Fowl to be denied such information."

Artemis said nothing, feeling no inclination to do so. Accepting the situation for what it was, he sat down before his other self, who had pulled up another chair to sit on. The two Fowls—of different times and possibly different worlds—sat before one another, the silence saturated with the gravity of the conversation they were about to have. The older one eyed the other coolly, speaking after a moment.

"You do not give the impression of being very talkative, but then again, neither would I be in such a situation. You are content to listen to everything I have to say, regardless of what it is. After all, what point is there in impeding the flow of knowledge when you need it most? Even though our family always had that motto—_Aurum Est Potestas_—there was always that implied one as well: _knowledge is power_." The man's stoic expression only slightly betrayed dark humor. "And right now, given your circumstance, you need all the power you can get."

Artemis only studied the man as he spoke, knowing that speaking would be utterly fruitless. If this man was truly a version of himself, he would be immune to anything Artemis would have used on a captor. It was logical to assume that he knew all of his strategies. It was better to listen for the moment, and be cautious when he finally decided to speak.

"I will be as succinct as possible," the man said. "Neither of us can afford to misuse time, especially when we are enemies." He adjusted his posture, sitting back against the soft cushion of the chair. "It is already established that I am Artemis Fowl the Second, but my origins are unknown. The most logical assumption would be that I am from the future, and that would be partially correct. However…" He paused, smiling ever so slightly. "I am not even from this reality. Have you ever heard of the _Everett Interpretation_?"

Artemis replied automatically, his intellect unable to hold back. "The many-worlds interpretation, a theory of quantum mechanics that implies the existence of an infinite number of universes, of which each represents a possible alternate in history. Hugh Everett received a lot of criticism for the theory, and it has never been remotely proven valid."

"Until now," the older man said smoothly. "Everything that could possibly have transpired in this world, but did not, has occurred in the past of some other universe. A universe where you do not wear Armani suits, or maybe a universe where you actually play sports. All are possible according to this theory…" The lines on his face deepened all of the sudden, and a slight glimmer of loathing appeared in his eyes. "There is also a universe where you never met the People, a universe where you never saved your father."

The thought of that made Artemis' head spin. He could not imagine what it would be like to have not met Holly and the others, and it was terrible to consider living with the loss of his father. Seeing that faint glint of emotion in the man's eyes immediately indicated that he had lived through that exact thing.

"I can see that you realize which one I hail from," he said, his discrete emotion replaced by cold indifference. "Indeed, unlike you I never had the luck of unearthing the existence of the People, and incidentally managing to kidnap one of their officers. I never had the opportunity to befriend these people, who would then play an instrumental role in rescuing my father from the Russian mafia."

"You lost him..." Artemis said softly, again unable to keep himself from stating the terribly obvious truth.

"Yes, and I was powerless to do anything," the man added. "In that reality, I was left to rule the Fowl Empire on my own, at the ripe age of twelve. You can imagine the challenge it must have been, but you can also imagine how psychologically prepared I was for it as well."

It was true, and it made Artemis shudder. Before he had met the People, Artemis had been a cold, ruthless genius bent on furthering the might of his family's criminal empire. He had been almost inhuman, a veritable monster with a boundless intellect, and the thought of that continuing unabated was absolutely terrifying.

"Naturally, I continued my father's work," the other continued. "At first I was uncertain, given the loss of father, but I soon acclimated to the business, and quickly thrived. You see, even father had lines he did not cross, but for me such lines meant nothing, not after what I had been through. I became the busiest twelve-year-old in the world, and the most dangerous as well."

"I started my career with a little outing to Russia. I could have waited in the manor while my subordinates did their jobs, but I was too...involved...to command from afar. I had to be there, and I had to see the blood of my hated enemies spilled at my feet. They were so convinced that the killing of my father would put an end to the Fowl Empire, but they were dreadfully mistaken. Tell me, have you ever seen the wondrous demise of an entire crime syndicate through the exact coordination of car bombs, assassinations, and demolitions? I have, and it was remarkably easy to conduct. I even managed to intercept Britva's motorcade and have them slaughtered, all except for him. I dealt with him personally with a straight razor." His eyes betrayed nothing as he said these things, as if none of it was anything out of the ordinary. "In the end I wiped them out, and took their territory as my own. That marked the beginning of a new age for the Fowls." He paused, frowning slightly. "Well, for me at least."

"I quickly ended up bereft of those you take for granted. Mother could not accept what had happened to Father, and after a year of depression she snapped. I tried everything to save her, but it would seem that the tassels on her nightgown were enough for her to hang herself while I was out getting her tea. I found her dangling from the ceiling, wearing her wedding dress, and clutching in her hands the photo they took on their wedding day. It was a very depressing day for me, but at least it put an end to the struggle of keeping her alive."

Artemis felt waves of emotion wash through him as he listened to the man tell the horror story of his own life. The thought of both of his parents dying before he was even fourteen was so disturbing that he had to push it aside. However, he kept on listening to the man, knowing he had to.

"After that, I assumed complete ownership of the estate, and legitimate control over everything in our possession. At that time Domovoi was still around, and together with his sister we got to work." He shook his head. "Butler, poor Butler. That man always had a heart, and even he was not ready for what had to be done. But he stuck with me for as long as he could, even after his sister was killed in a shootout with the Yakuza. In the end he met his death when he took a bullet for me. The sniper was using a fifty-caliber round, so there wasn't much left of the old bodyguard, much to my dismay. However, he was true to his word, even in the face of death, and his sacrifice bought me another chance at furthering my goals."

_Domovoi…_Artemis thought sadly, unable to envision life without him. He had come close to losing him back during the incident with Spiro, but even then there had been hope to save him. But in that other universe, for the version of himself that sat before him, there was no such hope. It made him feel sympathy for him, but it did little to banish his anger towards all that he had done.

"After the loss of Butler, I had no one to hold me back. It was a good thing, actually, because after that point I had no one to question me, and anyone I hired was purely devoted to money. I clawed my way through trial after trial, leaving a trail of death and destruction. I survived it all. I worked tirelessly, wiping out crime syndicates and taking them over as my own, expanding my enterprise to every continent. Eventually the Fowl Empire became the most powerful organized crime syndicate in the world, and with that came a lot of benefits. With more money than the United States' national debt, I had influence over anything I wanted, from elections to foreign policies. After all, most people have a price, and those who do not can easily be silenced by those who do. You would be surprised how easy it is to capitalize on the corruption within so called democracies, and then use their legitimate power to enhance your own. It is quite pathetic, but very profitable."

"To surmise, I reached a point where there was nothing else to do. All of my enemies were dead, and no one dared challenge me. I found myself without purpose all of the sudden, for up until that point I had been bent on making the Fowl Family the most powerful in the world. With that goal far surpassed, I found it necessary to pursue an even deeper ambition."

"Enlighten me," Artemis said weakly, overwhelmed.

"Absolute control," the man said simply. "And from that, absolute certainty. I wanted to eliminate the entropy in life, master the vicissitudes of fate. An unrealistic goal, but I applied myself to it nonetheless. I created new technologies that elevated me above everyone else, making the power of the world governments meaningless. Still, I was not satisfied. Cures for every disease known to man, human augmentation, cloning, longevity, and whatever else caught my interest, were achieved by my hand. I eventually ended up dabbling with time travel, because the one who controls time controls not only the future, but the past as well. I pooled immense amounts of resources into the effort, and spent many years delving into theories and improbable ideas. In the end I found it, or at least what I thought was it, and so confident was I in the discovery that, for the first time in over thirty years, I made a miscalculation."

The man paused, studying Artemis for a second. "That miscalculation, however insignificant it seemed to the untrained eye, had cataclysmic consequences. It was testing my invention within the comparatively secluded environment of a subterranean facility, but such did little to mitigate the damage when I miscalculated the sheer entropy of the fabric of time. I ended up tearing a hole in the very essence of reality, and I was pulled in before I could do anything. Such may seem like a terrible thing, but considering the fact that my world was subsequently wiped out of existence, I got the better end of the deal."

"You destroyed your reality?" Artemis said incredulously. "Have you any idea what the implications for that are?"

His alter-self appeared unworried. "I do, however given that we are still here the unlikely destruction of the multiverse did not transpire. In the end I accepted that debacle as a beneficial lesson. The death of my world, as significant as it was, is only an unfortunate bit of collateral damage in my overall plan."

Artemis had no words for that. This man was completely insane, and it terrified him that such a lunatic was himself.

"Anyway, let us not digress," the man said smoothly. "There I was, cast out into the madness of time. I soon realized that it was not only time that I managed to punch a hole through, but also the multiverse. I ended up drifting in this massive soup of realities and times, never settling into any of them but rather passing by like a piece of driftwood down a rapid. I felt, for the first time since my father's death, completely hopeless. There was no way for me to get back to my world and time, and it seemed that I was not destined to fall in another. Like a disease I was shunned, and it seemed that it would last for an eternity, for I was in a place where aging would never transpire. However…" He smiled ever so slightly. "It would seem that a singular speck in this sea of madness, unlike any of the others, would provide me with what I needed. Like a beacon it called out to me, radiating with energy and chaotic forces. Such was not normal, and it seemed that my unnatural presence was automatically drawn towards it, as if I was akin to what was happening in that place. Do you know what it was that beckoned me to your world? It was a little over a year ago, and I believe you are quite acquainted with the psychotic pixie who caused that little storm of madness."

Artemis didn't need to be told, and he felt further revulsion pulse through him. "Opal Koboi."

"Her little attempt at becoming a god is the only reason I am here," his other self said. "The dark magic, as you refer to it, is what drew me in. I did not know it then, but I was the recipient of the most improbable bit of luck I have ever seen. It was at the moment when you foiled her plans, when the _Gate _was obliterated. The resulting pulse of chaotic energy, only lasting for a few seconds, caught me at just the right moment. And thus I ended up in this world."

"Plopped in the middle of the United States one year ago, I was left with no other choice but to master this world as well. Of course, my logical first step was to find the version of myself that resided in this world, because only he could actually pose a threat. So I did so, and finding you incidentally made me wonder about something else. I did a little research and reconnaissance, killed a few unfortunate individuals, and eventually unearthed the existence of the People." He again, ever so slightly. "You can imagine my astonishment, and also my great pleasure. The People were just the thing I needed. I found out, through some rather callous means, just what had happened that fateful day a year ago, and when it became apparent that it was magic behind it all, I found my goal. However, that was not the end of it."

"It would turn out that there was another individual, a fairy like those friends of yours, who was searching for the same thing I was. He was supposed to be dead, but he was brought back by Opal's dark magic, and remained after her death. His name is Briar Cudgeon."

_Briar Cudgeon!? _Artemis felt his pulse ramp up, and the image of that elf, so consumed with his own unique madness, presented itself within his mind.

"I see that you know who I speak of," his other-self said. "Indeed, we found each other almost by accident, both seeking to implement the same plan. It was interesting at first, because he seemed likely to kill me, but when he realized who and what I was, he immediately changed his mind. It would seem that we both were equipped with abilities that, when combined, could be of mutual benefit, and so we made an agreement to work towards our common goals."

"You are foolish to make deals the likes of him." Artemis rasped. "Perhaps you are not so intelligent after all, because you should know full well what he did the last time he was in a so-called alliance with someone."

"I am not stupid," the man shot back. "And neither is he. We both know that we have the exact same prize in mind, and that prize is one that cannot be shared. We both know that, when the time comes when do not need each other any longer, we will have to kill each other. We never acknowledged this aloud, but it is an implied stipulation in our agreement. Hence, for the time being, we work together, because it would be a waste of time to try on our own. We both took the path of least resistance so to speak. From that point we enacted our plans, and for me it was much like my family business. With Cudgeon's resources I created my own faction, clandestine by all accounts. It is a small one, but I do not need a lot to make the world turn inside out. I focused on quality over quantity, hiring the best killers in the world, and only those who would follow my every order. In fact, you've already met one of my more radical employees. Billy Kong, formerly known as Jonah Lee, was someone I had to hire. Being both radically devoted to his cause and ridiculously hateful towards you and your friends, he was the perfect man for some of the jobs I would need done. So I broke him out of prison, and offered him the one thing he wanted most: the chance to avenge his brother's dead."

For Artemis it was just another terrible revelation among an entire river of them. Not much surprised him now, not after the realization that a Fowl was pulling the strings. He knew himself better than anyone, and thus knew that there was nothing this man couldn't accomplish.

"All of this takes us to the present, where we have only just begun our campaign," the other Artemis said smoothly. "To summarize what has happened, I have generally sat back while Briar did his part of the deal. I kidnapped your family, used Briar's systems to leak the People's existence, and of course took you and that young lady captive, but apart from that I have been rather tame."

"You sat back and let that mad elf start a war!" Artemis said darkly.

His alternate self didn't even blink. "But of course, such a war was on the drawing board almost the entire time. It is, just like so many things, a means to an end."

"You are mad!" Artemis yelled, not caring about composure one bit. He was angry, so very angry. However, despite his dreadful expression, his antagonistic self only smiled.

"Oh Arty, do you not know? There is no great genius without some touch of madness."

"No," Artemis said, shaking his head. "This is too far. You have gone way too far!"

"Indeed I have," the man replied coldly. "And it is for that precise reason I feel so compelled to go forward. Why resist the tide, when it takes you to where you want to go?"

Artemis sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he could not reason with himself. He spoke softly, almost weakly. "Where is it then, this place that you want to go?"

"It is a place that I cannot speak of, for it has no name. Even if it did I would not tell you. I cannot just hand you every little component of my plan, and most definitely not its final result. I know just as well as you do how dangerous it is to reveal such things to a Fowl."

"At least have the decency to tell me what you have in store for my family and Minerva. They do not deserve any of this!"

"Of course they do not," the man said. "But that does not matter. Innocence is just a word, and those who embody it are far more useful than those who are broken, at least as a preventative asset. I have been keeping an eye on you for a while, and I know very well how easy you are to control when the lives of those you love are at risk. That is what makes us different. You are attached to things that will inevitably be taken away from you. I, on the other hand, do not allow for such counterproductive associations. They are only a weapon that your enemy can use against you."

Artemis gritted his teeth, infuriated by those words. "They are my family! Have you forgotten what it is like to be loved, to have a purpose in the world beyond your own selfish desires? Or have you lost all that made you human, and become but a senseless machine? Do you, at the very least, remember how much Father and Mother cared for you as a child, or do you spit in the face of their memory as well?"

For the first time in their conversation the alternate Artemis was speechless, if only for a few seconds. Only a hint of emotion registered in his eyes, and it was gone in an instant.

"I can never forget such things, but do you really think that memory alone makes it relevant enough to stop my course of action? Do you think that some sense of morality will do anything to hinder my ambitions? Absolutely not. My past is in the past, in fact it does not exist, for the world it belonged to is gone forever. I look forward, into the future, to what I can change; to what I can control. Is that not a logical way to think?" When Artemis only returned his look with a disgusted expression, he smiled. "You cannot refute it can you? Neither would I. Now, how about we change the subject of our little conversation? After all, there is so little time, and so much to talk about."

"What do you plan on doing with me?" Artemis asked immediately. "I know that you cannot kill me, it is not something I can envision you doing just yet. But you cannot let me go either."

"It is rather simple," the man replied. "You are going to be a witness to the events that are unfolding, nothing more. I cannot allow you to interfere. You will remain my prisoner indefinitely, and perhaps you will serve as an interesting study as well. I am so very intrigued by how your mind works, and how you differ from me. It is fascinating, literally a look into an entirely different possibility. But no, you will not perish. After all, why would I kill myself?"

"Opal was just like you," Artemis said darkly, with a very chilling tone. "She thought she could just let me sit by and suffer while my world was destroyed before my eyes. She thought she could break me, and damn me to live on while my friends perished. She believed that I could be contained." His eyes narrowed. "She thought wrong!"

"Is that a veiled threat?" The other Artemis smiled wickedly, amused. "We shall see, Artemis. In fact, I am looking forward to it. It is once in a lifetime that I get to face an opponent like you."

"Be careful what you wish for, _Artemis_," Artemis said coldly. "You may find that you have yet again miscalculated."

"Believe what you will," the man replied. "But I don't _wish _for anything—that is for simple-minded fools."

"You are right, you just take what you want," Artemis accused. "You are robbing this world for your own gain."

"Just as you would, if you were in my shoes. That too is a fact."

"I am not like you!" the young man growled.

"We are more alike than we are different," the other replied. "Remember, only one little thing changed the course of our worlds. Thus, it is by that small thread that we are differentiated. Otherwise, apart from circumstance, we are the same person. Now…" He rose to his feet, towering over his younger self with a cold expression. "I believe you have heard enough from me for the time being. You are no doubt full of warring thoughts and fragmented plans, so I will allow you some time to piece yourself back together. I want you to be yourself, completely, when the time comes for us to speak again."

"And speak we shall," Artemis said dangerously. "Artemis Fowl…"

His older counterpart nodded, turning around and walking up to his desk. Picking up the book he had been reading, he turned around, a different look in his eyes.

"You need not call me by that name," he said smoothly. "I feel that it is only right that you keep yours, and that I, in order to make interaction a little less repetitive, use a pseudonym." He stepped towards Fowl again, casually looking at the book. "The Odyssey. It is a truly legendary example of Greek literature, and a window into the mythological world. In it there are many gods and demons; heroes and villains; adventures and mishaps. You're in it as well, Artemis, _hunter_. Do you know who else within that polytheistic religion hunted his foes, and who, by twists of fate, became Artemis' enemy?"

The boy knew the name immediately, and it haunted him. He said nothing as his other self continued.

"His name was Orion, the giant huntsman who Zeus placed amongst the starts. Not only was Artemis his friend once, she was also his match in a sense. They hunted together, and became great friends before a deception pitted them against each other. They were alike in many ways, just like us." He paused, noting the apprehensive look in Artemis' eyes. "I also know that Orion is a very sour memory for you. I heard of your little debacle with the _Atlantis Complex_, and I have to say it intrigued me. Your alter ego, Orion, was quite a piece of work, if not a little dangerous. He made you your own foe." He smiled slightly as he sat down before Artemis, looking him in the eyes. "It is only fitting that I take that name, for I am truly your greatest antagonist; your own worst enemy."

With that Artemis' alternate self—now adopting the name Orion—rose again to his feet. Artemis eyed him carefully, but said nothing. He knew that the other still had something to say.

"You may leave," Orion said coldly, gesturing towards the door. "Mr. Kong will be waiting outside to escort you to your accommodations."

Artemis stood up as well, but remained facing Orion for a moment longer, staring right through him with an intense expression. Orion stared right back at him, and between them there was an air of frigid rivalry. Truly a war had just begun—a war between minds. After that silent declaration, Artemis turned about and walked towards the door, saying not a word and betraying not a shred of uncertainty. He had a plan, even now, and a part of it was still in his suit pocket. The fairy communicator, small and hidden away, was still a secret advantage. Feeling its slight weight, he put his hands on the door, but before he could leave he heard Orion's voice speak from behind him.

"You think that just because you have that device you can outwit me?"

_Shades! _Artemis felt his blood freeze, the secrecy of his major advantage now blown. This man, Orion, was indeed a much more ruthless and experienced version of himself, one who saw everything.

"I will find another way," the young man said softly, not bothering to turn around. He was surprised by what Orion said next.

"Keep it."

Though he didn't turn around, Artemis could feel the confidence radiating from Orion's voice, and he could envision the expression that his face was likely portraying.

"I want to prove something, Artemis," Orion continued.

Artemis turned around this time, locking eyes with the man from afar.

"And what is it that you wish to prove, Orion?"

The man's intelligent eyes glinted in the half-light, like those of wolf tracking its prey. He smiled, ever so slowly, to form a vampiric grin that chilled Artemis to the bone, and then spoke with a foreboding voice.

"That I hunted you."


End file.
